


The Luckiest

by jsmith69



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: ...but he loves Annette, AU/No Zombies, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Daryl really hates neckties..., Frottage, M/M, Shower Sex, bottom!daryl, top!rick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-14
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-13 10:58:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 64,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11183709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jsmith69/pseuds/jsmith69
Summary: His heart was hammering in his chest and his insides were a chaotic mess of both nerves and excitement. The excitement he understood completely - he was marrying Daryl today.What he didn’t understand, though, was why he should be nervous.  After all, it wasn’t like this was the first time he was marrying Daryl.Maybe that was why.  This wasn’t going to be like the first time at all.





	1. Enchantment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gneebee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gneebee/gifts).



> For my dear friend gneebee, one of the sweetest, funniest, most amazing people on the planet. Certainly in my world. She gave me a great prompt and how could I tell her no? So this one’s for you, my friend. I love ya just because! xo  
> A million thanks to another dear friend and phenomenal beta, my write or die, the fantabulous noonesangel_noonesbitch. A million more thanks for not reaching through your computer to choke the life out of me more than once. I know she wanted to no matter what she tells you, as I might have been a little difficult and somewhat dramatic at times. Her tolerance of my shenanigans is unwavering.  
> Fic is complete, and since it’s fairly short updates will post on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  
> Thanks so much for reading! Now I’ll shut up now and let y’all read! :)

Rick zipped his suitcase closed and put it with Daryl’s by the bedroom door, then went into their bathroom to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. When he was sure he had everything they would need he checked his hair in the mirror, looking for any wayward curls. He smoothed his palm over the more-than-stubble, less-than-real-beard on his jaw, not entirely unhappy with the increasing amount of gray he’d been seeing lately. He liked to think it made him look a little dignified. Daryl had told him on more than one occasion that it was sexy as hell - usually as his lips were skimming across it on their way to that spot below his ear - and that’s all Rick needed to know.

He straightened his tie - again - and smiled at his reflection. He wasn’t actually smiling at himself, but rather at the thought that Daryl would be wearing a tie, too. Annette had insisted on it and with Maggie and Beth backing her up, poor Daryl hadn’t stood a chance. He knew better than to argue with one of them let alone all three.

He was waiting for him at the farm where the Greene women had also insisted that he stay last night. It hadn’t made a lick of sense to him or Daryl either one, and it had cost Rick a very restless and mostly sleepless night but hey, he knew not to argue with them either. 

Probably their way of paying them back for not being there a year ago.

Giving his reflection a final once-over he stood there grinning like a fool. His heart was hammering in his chest and his insides were a chaotic mess of both nerves and excitement. The excitement he understood completely - he was marrying Daryl today. 

What he didn’t understand, though, was why he should be nervous. After all, it wasn’t like this was the first time he was marrying Daryl. 

Maybe that was why. This wasn’t going to be like the first time at all.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

_One year ago…_

 

Rick wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting on the balcony of his hotel room on St. Ann Street, his chair angled so he could watch the constant flurry of activity a half block down on Bourbon Street. His feet were propped on the ornate wrought iron railing and the beer he’d been nursing had long since gone warm. He knew it had to be around seven thirty, maybe a little later, because at some point the fading daylight had shifted to the glow of streetlamps and neon, and the more muted bustle of the daytime crowd had morphed into the raucous clamor of the nighttime crowd. 

He’d been here for a week and it was still beyond him that visitors and locals alike were so eager to party into the early morning hours on a random weeknight. The beginning of the week seemed to be a bit quieter, but as the weekend edged closer the energy and the vibe seemed to intensify as if it were a tangible thing. 

By his Georgia boy standards, last weekend on Bourbon Street had been nothing short of crazy. Just about the rowdiest thing they had to deal with back home were the bikers down at the Rusty Bucket on a Saturday night.

Except for that one time they’d been called down to the silent auction at the First Baptist Church. He’d had no idea a little bitty eighty-eight-year-old woman could swing a purse that hard, and he didn’t think poor sister Shackleford would ever get over the shame and embarrassment of her wig being snatched off. By the time the dust settled and they had fixed what was broken in the adult Sunday school room, well, they never did get the new curtains and tablecloths for the fellowship hall. 

It was Friday night and he’d been here since last Thursday afternoon when he’d driven down for the National Sheriff Association annual conference. Morgan, a friend since their time at the academy together and the sheriff in King County, had all but begged him to come with him and he didn’t usually care about stuff like this, but this time he’d jumped at the chance. He thought a vacation might be just what he needed.

He’d been feeling restless and out of sorts lately; feeling a sort of emptiness for a while now and he had no idea what it was or how to fill it.

He knew he was tired, he knew he worked way too many hours but that was mostly to avoid the quiet at home when Carl wasn’t there. When he and Lori had first separated he couldn’t get enough of the quiet. God, it had been so nice to come home after a shift and not have to hear her bitch about this or nag about that. After a while, though, the quiet had become too quiet. He still didn’t miss the bitching and nagging - he’d never miss that - but there was nothing to fill the silence except more silence and missing Carl had only made it worse.

They’d been divorced for a couple of years so he had tried dating, thinking that might be it. Well, if two dates with Jessie counted as dating then yes, he had dated. She was nice enough, certainly pretty, but there hadn’t been one hint of a spark. Not even a flicker. He hadn’t seen the need to waste her time or his so he’d ended it before it even started. He hadn’t met anybody since then that had stirred enough interest to even bother.

He didn’t even want to think about how long it had been since he’d had sex.

He was starting to think maybe that’s what was missing, maybe he was just horny. Well, he knew he was horny. There was only so much his own hand could do for him wasn’t there? Except he knew that really wasn’t it either.

The conference finished on Monday evening, and at breakfast Tuesday morning he was trying to think of a way to ask Morgan for some time off without having to explain why - because he was sure the other man would ask and he wasn’t sure he had a good answer - when Morgan spoke up and made it easy for him.

 

_“Why don’t ya take a few extra days, Rick? Get some rest, ya look tired, man. Ya can’t tell me you’re getting a solid eight every night and ya work way too many hours not to get a solid eight.” Morgan cut into his omelet at the same time he cut his eyes up to Rick. “When’s the last time ya even took a vacation? Ya need to use up all those days you’ve been stockpilin’ anyway or you’re gonna lose ‘em.”_

_“Actually, I was gonna ask you about takin’ a few extra days. I have been feelin’ a little restless,” he paused and leveled his friend with a look, “just didn’t realize I looked like it, too.”_

_He hadn’t offered an explanation and to his surprise and relief, Morgan hadn’t asked._

_“Good,” the sheriff smiled, “because, I’ve already done the paperwork and approved it.”_

_Rick narrowed his eyes at the smug look on Morgan’s face. “Is that why you were so fired up for me to come to this thing?” he asked, knowing he’d been had. The sheriff’s non-answer was answer enough and Rick shook his head._

_“Hang around for a few days, it’s a beautiful city. See the sights, catch a music show, enjoy the food, sleep. Hell, ya don’t have to stay in New Orleans. Go to Hawaii for a luau, go to California and see all those celebrity homes, I don’t care if ya go to Florida and pick oranges, just don’t let me see ya in my station until a week from Friday.”_

_“You know you work an awful lot, too,” Rick pointed out. “Why don’t you take a couple of days yourself?”_

_“What, here? Hell no, man. Jenny’s dragged my butt down here twice now. The crowds and the noise and the spicy food. Not to mention all the shoppin’.” He smiled wide then added, “It’s nice though, you’ll like it.”_

_He stopped the next bite of his omelet halfway to his mouth and looked up at Rick again. “Ya know, Rick, I’ve never seen anybody eat two bowls of jambalaya for breakfast.”_

 

So Morgan had left after breakfast and he’d stayed in the Big Easy, not caring to pick oranges and caring even less about seeing celebrity homes. It wouldn’t have been his first choice as a vacation destination but here he was. He’d lucked out and was able to keep his room at the hotel through the end of the week, although he was only planning to stay a couple of days at most. Besides, the sheriff had said not to come to the station, he didn’t say he couldn’t come back to King County.

He’d spent Tuesday and Wednesday doing all the touristy things his friend had recommended. He’d gone down to the Riverwalk and walked along the bank of the Mississippi. He’d watched the artists at work and listened to the street musicians, dropping a few dollars into open instrument cases or hats before wandering off again. He’d made his way back to the heart of the Quarter by way of Jackson Square, stopping to admire the stark white facade and enormous cone-shaped spires of the St. Louis Cathedral. There were more artists lining Chartres Street and he slowed down to watch them work with paint, pencils, charcoal and chalk, each of them hoping to sell their finished pieces that lined the wrought iron fence.

Royal Street was pretty but he didn’t stay long. It was much different than Bourbon, lined with classy antique shops, fine jewelry stores and boutiques, art galleries, and elegant hotels and restaurants. He remembered how badly Lori had always wanted to visit New Orleans, specifically the French Quarter. He was glad now that he had never brought her. Not only was a vacation with Lori a pain in the ass, but he knew for sure that Royal Street was where she would have brought about his financial ruin.

He’d gotten a bit of a late start on Wednesday and hadn’t left the room until around noon because, well let’s just say he wouldn’t recommend jambalaya for breakfast. Definitely not a second bowl.

He’d spent the afternoon exploring Bourbon Street. He couldn’t deny that the Quarter had a unique beauty to it. The centuries-old buildings were both gorgeous and impressive, their beauty definitely in the details: the wrought iron balconies, lush green courtyards and flowing fountains that he thought must be everywhere.

It definitely had its own unique smell. He was treated to the delicious smells of Cajun and Creole mixed with the rich, sweet aromas coming from the pastry shops, or the more earthy smells of jasmine and moss. Then the wind would shift and he seemed to be standing downwind from what had to be a hundred degree porta-potty lined with week old garbage, with traces of cigarette smoke, urine, and grease. 

And there was the underlying hint of stale vomit that reminded him of the smell in the back of the patrol car that time he and Shane had found old man Winslow drunk as a skunk in his underwear, riding his lawnmower through town at two in the morning. They hadn’t quite made it back to the station before ol’ Jim Beam had made his second appearance.

Underneath all of that was the muddy water smell of the Mississippi. Yeah, unique was the only word he had for that.

The noise was constant with strains of blues or rock or jazz, the soulful notes drifting out of the numerous bars and restaurants to mingle with the sounds of a street musician or two before scattering on the breeze. The distant rumble and clang of a streetcar competed with the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves as mules pulled open carriages through the streets.

It was like sensory overload to a country boy and it was a lot to take in at once.

The food was his favorite thing so far and he’d stopped to eat more often than he cared to admit. Anything from Creole to Cajun (crawfish etouffee had become a favorite), from Po-Boys to gumbo, from muffulettas to red beans and rice (the real stuff, not that crap you buy in a box). He’d given up on jambalaya for now so breakfast had been cafe au lait and beignets. Lord he just hoped his pants still fit by the time he got home.

Thursday he’d experienced Bourbon Street after sundown. He was starting to realize he was more of a small town country boy than he’d originally thought. Morgan could’ve warned him about any number of things, yet he’d warned him about none of it. He was going to have a word with his friend when he got home. Several words. 

That had been _after_ the strange encounter on the streetcar. 

Shortly after lunch on Thursday he’d gone back to his room to stash the gifts he’d bought for Carl and was thinking about packing up and going on home. The stack of brochures that had been laying on the small dresser since he’d checked in caught his eye and he’d absently thumbed through a few of them.

Which is how he’d found himself on a streetcar headed for a tour of the Garden District. The grand antebellum mansions were a step back in time, shaded by live oaks and magnolias that scented the air. Every property was adorned with pristine gardens teeming with brightly blooming azaleas, more lush greenery, and any number of flowering plants that Rick couldn’t begin to identify.

Not more than thirty minutes into the tour the streetcar stopped to pick up more passengers. Except it was only one passenger and Rick had watched as a tiny, frail looking old woman slowly climbed the steps. If Rick had to guess he would’ve said she was every bit of a hundred years old, not a day younger than ninety-five. The conductor had been kind enough to turn in his seat and take her hand to steady her, and Rick had heard him call her ‘Miz Octavie’ as she smiled sweetly at him and turned to find a seat, her pace slow but her gait surprisingly steady. 

Rick was one of only a handful of passengers so he’d been a little surprised when she’d made her way past several empty seats and sat down beside of him. She had offered him the same sweet smile and he hadn’t hesitated to return it.

They had ridden in silence for a bit, then she had startled him by speaking.

_“Are you very far from home, cher?”_

_The first thing Rick noticed was the beautiful French-Cajun lilt, the second being that her voice was strong and clear, not at all what you would expect from someone her age._

_He flashed another small smile as he answered. “Not really, ma’am. Only about seven hours.” He started to turn away but paused when her smile grew wider as he spoke._

_“Ah, a beautiful southern accent for such a handsome gentleman. Let me guess, you are visiting from Georgia, am I right?”_

_He was taken aback by that, but he guessed maybe a Georgia accent was somewhat distinct. “Yes, ma’am, that’s right. Not too far from Atlanta.”_

_“Ah, oui.” She paused but only for a beat. “And if I may be so bold, cher, why are you riding alone today? Where is your companion? Why did your lover not accompany you?”_

_Rick turned to face her more fully. He felt the heat creep up his neck to his face and didn’t bother trying to hide his surprise and confusion at the question. “I’m not...I don’t have a...companion.” He just couldn’t bring himself to say the word ‘lover’ to this sweet old woman. “I’m here alone.”_

_It was her turn to look confused, but it had passed so quickly he couldn’t be sure he’d seen it at all._

_He took a moment to study her and it was easy to see that she had once been a beautiful woman. Although mostly gray, her hair still held some of its jet black color and he could easily imagine it long and thick in her youth. The lines in her face and neck were etched deeply into her olive-complected skin, particularly around her eyes._

_Her eyes though. Her eyes looked nothing like what you would expect for a woman of her obvious age. They were bright and clear with nothing obscuring the deep emerald green irises. They were locked on Rick’s with laser sharp focus and he found that he couldn’t look away._

_She studied him intently, and more than looking at him she seemed to be looking into him. He had the fleeting thought that her intense stare should make him uncomfortable but instead, he felt strangely calm and at ease._

_Before long she blinked slowly and the moment was broken. He still didn’t turn away, but his eyes were drawn to the necklace she wore. It was a small pewter charm, no more than an inch in length, and hung from a black leather cord. When she saw where his eyes had landed, she lifted the charm gingerly between bony fingers and brought it closer for his inspection, at the same time that she laid her other hand on his forearm._

_His gaze drifted from the charm to the hand on his arm, and he saw that the thin, fragile skin there had the aged, rough look of sandpaper, the lines there etched as deeply as the ones on her face. Despite that, her small hand was warm and soft. The jumble of bracelets that hung around her tiny, thin wrist should have looked out of place on a woman of her age but they didn’t, not at all._

_His eyes went back to the charm and she held it up as if she wanted him to take it so he did, and it was heavier than he would have expected for something so small. Upon closer inspection, he could see that it was the tiny figure of an angel perched atop an intricately etched heart. There was nothing particularly outstanding about it but he thought it was beautiful all the same._

_His eyes narrowed then as he realized he had seen something similar to it just the day before. And there were lots of others, too - all different shapes, sizes, designs, and colors - displayed neatly in the windows of several voodoo shops he’d passed. He remembered being somewhat fascinated as he stood and looked at them, much the same feeling he had as he examined this one. It wasn’t a typical charm at all, but an amulet._

_As he turned the amulet in fingers that suddenly felt too clumsy for something that seemed so delicate, she spoke softly, barely loud enough for him to hear._

_“Love is the greatest of all attributes.”_

_He met her eyes again. Her gaze was soft now and he could see the wisdom of her years. As crazy as it seemed they were also...mesmerizing, and now that she was touching him he noticed that she seemed to vibrate with a quiet energy that belied her years. Before he could ask what she meant by that she continued._

_“Do not worry yourself, your time in the city is not over. You have traveled a long way, and you need to be patient if you hope to find what it is that you are missing.”_

_Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that he should find this all a bit too strange, that this woman shouldn’t know any of this and that should probably make him nervous. But her gentle tone and the rhythmic cadence of her voice wouldn’t allow it. Nor would it allow him to flinch away when she lifted her hand from his arm and laid it gently to the side of his face._

_“Ah, cher, you seem misguided but do not let it trouble you. A blue-eyed beauty with long, dark locks will set you on the right path.”_

_Before Rick could think of a response or formulate a question of any kind she reached up and pulled the cord requesting to be let off. The streetcar rumbled to a halt and she stood to make her way to the front, but turned to him briefly with one last smile and said again, “Love is the greatest of all attributes.”_

_Too...something he couldn’t identify at the moment…to speak, Rick couldn’t do a thing but watch her exit the streetcar and walk back in the direction from where they’d come._

Not more than a couple of minutes later he’d reached up and pulled the cord as well. He smiled politely at the conductor as he’d hurriedly made his exit, choosing to ignore the fact that the conductor’s smile while friendly, was also sly and knowing. 

He wanted to catch up to the woman and ask her to explain her strange words, but after three blocks he hadn’t seen her anywhere. As slowly as she walked he was sure he would have caught up to her within a block of having gotten off the streetcar. He supposed it was possible she could have gone into one of the houses, but something told him she was no more from the Garden District than he was.

The old woman and her strange words had been all he could think about as he’d walked back to the Quarter. For a minute as he’d sat with her, he had been overcome with a feeling of being drawn into something that he couldn’t pull away from, and it surprised him that it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. He was confused by what she’d said, but it wasn’t unpleasant at all.

Knowing it would take him nearly an hour to walk back to his hotel he opted to take another streetcar and make the trip in ten or fifteen minutes. In the time it took him to walk he could be in his truck and on his way home. He should have been nearly a third of the way home by then anyway and for the life of him, he didn’t know what had made him change his mind.

He’d boarded another streetcar going to Canal Street, and with only a few more passengers than the last one he’d taken a seat close to the front. He didn’t even pretend to be looking at the passing scenery as he stared out the window, the old woman’s words playing on an endless loop in his head. It hadn’t taken him long to guess that she most likely practiced voodoo. At her age, she was probably good at it, too. 

And damn if that thought hadn’t sent the rest of his thoughts racing off in a whole new direction, his heart rate speeding up to catch them.

Had she put some kind of hex on him? He didn’t know why she would but he had very nearly convinced himself that she’d cursed him and he’d started to panic a little at the thought. Maybe his hair was going to fall out, or he was going to wake up tomorrow impotent or something. Shit. He had no idea what he’d look like bald but he was pretty damn sure he’d rather lose his hair than have his dick not work anymore.

Then he’d reminded himself that she had been talking about love. You couldn’t curse somebody with love, could you?

Never mind. He’d been married to Lori for almost fifteen years so he probably wasn’t the best person to ask.

He didn’t know a thing about voodoo or black magic or any of that stuff except that most people assumed it was a bad thing when it wasn’t really, not most of the time anyway. There were good curses as well as bad ones, right? Although he supposed they were called spells as opposed to good curses, but what the fuck did he know.

The streetcar had stopped at the corner of Canal and Bourbon and he’d stepped off to walk the eight or so blocks back to the hotel. He’d felt a headache brewing and thought walking might do him some good after all. Maybe it would at least clear his head a little. It wouldn’t be much longer until the sun went down and he was thinking some supper and a hot shower would do him good as well. 

_“Don’t worry, Cher, your time in the city isn’t over.”_

Ha. He might not have the first clue what everything else she had said meant, but he knew for sure she was wrong about that. His time in the city was most certainly over. He was definitely leaving in the morning.

If he’d thought the old woman had thrown him for a loop, that was nothing compared to Bourbon Street after dark.

He couldn’t have gone more than a block when a guy dressed in drag - and he could say this with certainty because the man hadn’t even attempted to cover up his mustache and goatee - had practically danced past him and shoved a full go-cup into his hand. He’d had no idea what was in it but whatever it was smelled fruity and potent. He’d turned to watch the man sashay down the street - and he could also say with certainty that was the first time he’d ever used that word in his life - and when he’d been sure the man was out of sight he’d dropped the cup into the nearest trash can. 

Well, he wasn’t an idiot.

He’d bought a bottle of water and a hot dog instead, eating as he walked. A strip club directly across the street had caught his eye, but only because of a couple of barely clad strippers standing outside - one on the sidewalk and one on the balcony - trying to bring in customers. Before he could even get his head around what the Lady Rotarians would think of that, a commotion to his right had drawn his attention away from the stripper on the balcony, who had started waving and throwing kisses in the direction of said commotion. He’d turned just in time to see an old woman - she had to be eighty if she was a day - lift her shirt to shake bare, wrinkled boobs that hung halfway to her elastic waistband at the stripper that was throwing kisses. Just as he was becoming concerned that she was gonna spin around and knock somebody smooth out with those things a young woman had rushed over with a go-cup in each hand.

“Mamaw! Mamaw stop! Nobody wants to see that! Stop it now! She’s not throwing beads!” and she handed her a cup.

Rick thought maybe she should have been cut off a couple of go-cups ago, but that wasn’t his business. He’d turned to walk away and tossed the rest of his hot dog into the nearest trash can.

Only another couple of blocks and he’d felt something at his pants leg and looked down to see a dog.

Of sorts.

It was actually a young boy with a mop of blonde hair, probably in his early twenties...and he’d been sniffing Rick’s boots.

He wore nothing but a pair of tight, black leather short shorts, but there were...accessories. In addition to dog ears and a tail, on his hands and feet he wore...paws. There was a studded, black leather collar fastened around his neck. With a leash attached to it.

The man holding the leash was closer to Rick’s age, maybe a little older. He was stocky and muscular and wore black leather pants with black boots. The sleeves had been ripped out of his white shirt, showcasing every line and cut of his solid biceps.

Now, Rick might be a country boy through and through, but he wasn’t uptight and he was certainly no prude, not by any means. In fact, he was much less of a prude than most people would think. He liked to think he was open minded, forward thinking if still old-fashioned in some ways.

The point being he’d known what he was looking at, and he knew it wasn’t as uncommon as some may think. Hell, it probably even went on in rural Georgia. It wasn’t his thing and he was pretty sure it never would be but he wasn’t judging. To each his own and all that.

It’s just that, well, he’d never seen it go on in the middle of a public street was all, and he’d reminded himself again that this wasn’t rural Georgia and it wasn’t just any street.

He’d started to walk away when the boy...pup?... the boy had sat up on his haunches and...whined. And wouldn’t you just know he had big, brown puppy dog eyes? The boy looked up at him expectantly, although Rick had no clue what it was that he was expecting.

The man, his master, must have seen Rick’s confusion and he’d said, “He wants you to pet him.”

He wasn’t a prude. Open minded and all that. He wasn’t going to begrudge anybody their fun as long as they weren’t hurting anyone. But he was still a small town country boy and he couldn’t do a thing to change that, and he was going to have to draw the line at petting this boy’s head or scratching him behind the ears. And he had no clue what he would’ve done if the boy had started humping his leg.

He’d looked from the boy to the man and tilted his head again, this time as if to say “are you serious?” The man must have misread him because his eyes had gone wide and he’d held up his hands in front of him. “Hey man it’s cool, you don’t have to.”

The boy had whined again, a distraught sound this time, as the man had turned and led him away through the crowd. Rick had tried hard not to stare after them, really he had. Not uptight, no judgment. Except he hadn’t expected the seat to be missing from those leather shorts and the boy’s entire ass to be exposed, that’s all.

He’d made his way around the crowd at the corner and halfway up the next block when he had to step aside to avoid a group of people making their way in the opposite direction. They were definitely tipsy and probably well on their way to hammered. 

He’d stepped close to the building, further underneath the balcony overhead and into the shadows, and had looked up in time to see a man coming out of the bar he was standing in front of. He was mostly backlit by the porch light and Rick had found himself practically staring, trying to get a better look at him.

The man didn’t look up and Rick was sure he couldn’t see him very well if he did, so he had taken the opportunity to watch him light the cigarette he’d just stuck in his mouth. When his lips had puckered around the filter and his cheeks had hollowed as he’d inhaled deeply, Rick was only vaguely aware that he was now staring wide-eyed.

The man had flicked the lighter closed at the same time that he’d jerked his head to the side in an unsuccessful attempt to get the hair out of his eyes. Rick’s gaze had followed the slow exhale of smoke as it drifted lazily out of his slightly open mouth before dissolving into the air around his shaggy hair.

He was wearing a black button-up shirt with the sleeves haphazardly rolled to his elbows and loose fitting jeans. As he’d turned to walk away Rick couldn’t help noticing that the loose fit didn’t hide the fact that he had a really nice ass. 

He’d almost laughed out loud when he thought about how long it had been since he’d checked out another man’s ass. Much too soon for his liking the guy had disappeared into the crowd and Rick walked on, making his way to St. Ann.

Then with only two more blocks to go, he’d seen her. She crossed the street coming towards him, a sway in her narrow hips and a seductive smile on her face. When she stopped right in front of him he thought she was even prettier up close. 

The palest blue irises he’d ever seen were ringed with darker blue, contrasting with her long dark lashes. Her makeup was heavier than what most women back home wore but it didn’t look garish or overdone, it seemed to fit her perfectly. She wore a flowy white blouse with the top three buttons left open, the ends of the pale blue silk scarf that was tied at her neck brushing the tops of her full breasts. Her jeans looked as if she’d poured herself into them, the spiked heels of the knee-high leather boots they were tucked into leaving her just barely shorter than him.

She looked up to meet his eyes, her full, plump lips still smiling that sexy smile and she’d reached out to lay a hand on his bicep. Her other hand toyed with a strand of dark hair, the rest of which cascaded in loose curls down her back and across her shoulders. 

_“A blue-eyed beauty with long, dark locks will set you on the right path.”_

With the old woman’s words ringing in his ears he hadn’t been able to think of a thing to say and he’d felt a little foolish standing there just staring into her eyes. He hadn’t wanted to entertain the possibility that there might have been something to what the old woman had said but he couldn’t deny that a blue-eyed beauty was indeed standing right in front of him. Long, dark locks and all. 

“What’s a handsome man like yourself doin’ out here all by your lonesome tonight, sugar?” she’d asked and squeezed his bicep playfully. 

Her voice was sultry and as smooth as whiskey. The kind of voice he was sure would be hypnotic if he listened to it long enough. There had been no mistaking the look she’d been giving him and he’d felt his pulse quicken.

She moved to stand behind him, her mouth close enough he’d felt her warm breath ghosting over the shell of his ear and he’d decided what the hell, he’d buy her a drink. Before he could extend the invitation, though, he’d felt the unmistakeable press of an erection at his hip and her voice dropped about two octaves. A decidedly male voice whispered, “Two hundred for the night, sugar. Anything goes.”

He’d jerked away and whirled around as if she’d...he’d….what?...nudged him with a cattle prod and immediately looked down at her (his?) throat. How had he missed...oh. That explained the scarf.

No, he wasn’t a prude and yes, dammit, he was open minded. He checked out men’s asses and he wouldn’t even be upset by a man coming onto him. He just preferred to know that it was a man is all.

He wasn’t judging this person either but this was no more his thing than crawling around on a leash in assless leather pants was. Besides that, there was no way in hell he was picking up a prostitute, even if he wasn’t a cop. That was in no way a path he planned to take.

“Name’s Suzette, sugar. What do you say?” The seductive, feminine voice was back.

He’d gathered his wits and flashed his sweetest smile and in his best southern gentleman drawl had said, “Maybe another time, ma’am. You have a good evenin’ now.”

Her face had fallen but only for a second and she’d stepped closer. “That’s a shame, you look like you’d be a lot of fun.”

He was still as polite as before but there was a steely edge to his voice when he said, “I said not tonight.”

The low, gruff voice returned. “Well fuck you too, buddy,” and she walked away.

Yeah, he had a few words for Morgan when he got home.

 

He stood slowly and stretched, working the kinks out of his back before leaning over with his elbows on the railing. The Friday night crowd was getting thicker by the minute, the noise level steadily rising. Bourbon Street was most definitely a different animal at night and he was perfectly satisfied to watch from up here. 

He was absolutely leaving in the morning, he had no choice really since there was another reservation for the room. He felt like an idiot admitting it to himself now, but he was pretty sure the only reason he’d stayed this long was because of the old woman and the things she’d said.

_“A blue-eyed beauty with long, dark locks will set you on the right path.”_

What had he thought was going to happen? He’d meet this blue-eyed beauty and she’d drop everything to run back to Georgia with him and live happily ever after? The more he considered it, the more he thought that it was more likely that the old woman was senile and not magical and mysterious at all. Besides, he’d never considered that kind of thing one way or the other really and he had no idea why he’d started now.

_“You need to be patient if you hope to find what it is that you are missing.”_

Well, whatever it was he was supposed to find he wasn’t going to find it here, he was sure of that.

He went back into the room and picked up his watch to check the time. It wasn’t quite eight thirty, which may as well have been lunchtime with how late the people down the block would be at it. He wasn’t tired and he really didn’t want to sit in this room anymore. He’d also decided he wanted something a little stronger than beer.

He remembered a bar a half block up Bourbon, surely he could make it that far without seeing old lady boobs or being sniffed or propositioned, right? He smiled to himself thinking he was acting awfully cowardly to be a cop and he was suddenly grateful that he was a cop in backwoods Georgia and not here.

He fastened his watch to his wrist and patted his pockets to make sure he had his phone, wallet, and room key. At the last minute and not really sure why he stripped off the t-shirt he was wearing and put on his denim button-up instead. With a last look in the mirror, he locked the door and left the room.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

One block over on Orleans Street Daryl stood on the balcony of a small inn. He was leaning casually against the iron post and watching the ever-growing Friday night crowd down on Bourbon, alternately sipping from the long neck he held in one hand and smoking the cigarette held loosely between the fingers of the other. 

To anyone passing by that cared to notice he likely looked like he didn’t have a care in the world but on the inside, he was alternately seething with anger then feeling humiliation sitting thick and heavy in the pit of his belly. The back and forth was starting to get old. 

He’d spent the last two weeks going from not giving a fuck, back to pissed off and then back to not giving a fuck. It had made a job he hadn’t really wanted to be here for to begin with even more unpleasant, but he’d promised Abe and he wasn’t going to go back on his word. So he’d stayed.

It was Friday night and they’d finished the job on Tuesday. The rest of the crew left Wednesday morning, but he’d talked to Abe to give him a heads up and to ask for some of the vacation time he had coming to him. The guys had taken the two company trucks back to Georgia, but Daryl figured it wasn’t a big deal to rent something to get him home on Saturday.

He’d worked for Abe at Ford Building and Restorations for two years now and they’d become friends. So when Abe’s brother, a big deal real estate agent in New Orleans, had bought an old inn in the Quarter he’d called Abe and asked for a crew to help with some final detail work. Abe had been one man short and Daryl hadn’t been able to tell his friend no.

The guys had gone out every night they’d been here. He got it. None of them would be able to take a vacation like this on their own dime so they’d taken advantage of the situation. They didn’t get drunk during the week, but they were always at some bar or club. Daryl hated clubs and he’d stopped spending all his time at a bar when Merle had decided to get clean almost two years ago. Before that he’d mostly gone to at least try and keep his brother out of trouble anyway but even so, it wasn’t his thing anymore. 

Besides that, he’d spent enough time with these guys for the last two weeks and sharing a room with Aaron and Axel had gotten old quick. He liked all of them well enough, except for that dumbass Nicholas but he just ignored him, and quite frankly he was getting tired of looking at their faces. Still, he liked to think he would have gone with them at least a few times, taken a little advantage of the opportunity himself if it hadn’t been for the pissy mood he’d been in since they got here.

He wasn’t sure which was worse, that it had happened or that Merle had been the one to tell him.

They’d driven down early Friday afternoon two weeks ago. He’d been set to go out with the rest of them on Saturday night, probably would have too, if he hadn’t answered his damn phone. He might not have except for the fact that with Motorhead blaring repeatedly through the small room he knew Merle wasn’t going to stop calling until he did.

He’d abandoned his shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, hurrying as fast as he had dared across the hardwood floor to get to his phone before his brother hung up and called back again.

_“Fuck’s sake, Merle, the hell ya want that can’t wait til I wash my ass?” he barked into the phone._

_“Hello ta ya too, Darlina. Wha’s got'cher pretty pink lacies in a bunch?”_

_He imagined the smartass grin on his brother’s face and he wasn’t in the mood. “Some asshole blowin’ up my phone while I’m tryin’ to take a shower, that’s what.”_

_“Yer little friends won’t wait on ya?” Merle teased._

_“They’ll wait. What’s up?” Daryl asked._

_He heard Merle sigh deeply on the other end before he said, “I hate ta be the one ta tell ya, little brother.”_

_Daryl knew good and well Merle didn’t hate to be the one to tell him anything. He’d never once minded being the messenger, whether it was good or bad news. “Tell me what, Merle. Jus’ spill it a’ready.”_

_“Well, ya see I’s at the steakhouse last night, ya know, the real nice one over there on Grayson. Anyway…”_

_“Wait, what? Ya went to Nick’s?” He huffed out a laugh. “Since when does Merle Dixon eat at a five-star restaurant?” This he had to hear._

_“Hell naw, not that place! Damn, brother, ya gotta own a tie jus’ ta pull up in the parkin’ lot. Fancy cloth napkins in yer lap an’ all them diff’rent forks an’ spoons…”_

_“Get on with it, Merle,” Daryl cut him off._

_“Oh yeah. Nah I’s at that other joint Norm’s, ya know, way on the other end, out by the county line. Ain’t no five-star joint, three an’ a half maybe.”_

_He wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to know but he asked anyway. “The hell ya doin’ eatin’ at a place like that for anyway? Ya don’t even like puttin’ on a real shirt to go to the diner most times.”_

_Merle laughed that slow laugh of his. “Well now, ol’ Merle had himself a date last night.”_

_Daryl had moved out onto the balcony, not caring that he was still wearing nothing but a towel. Hell, half this city was a buncha weirdos anyhow so no, he didn’t care one bit. He laughed around the cigarette he was lighting, having temporarily forgotten that Merle had a point to make._

_“Yeah, ya don’t date, Merle. Musta been some good stuff if ya was willin’ to take her to a place like that.”_

_Merle sounded serious, and maybe a little offended, when he said, “Ya watch it now, Darlina. That ain’t no way ta be talkin’ ‘bout Carol.”_

_Daryl choked on the lungful of smoke he’d just inhaled. “What? Carol from the diner, Carol? How the hell’d ya finally get Carol to go out with your sorry ass?”_

_“I got no idea, little brother. Ya know I been askin’ fer ages an’ she finally just up an’ said yes. Better’n that, we’re goin’ out agin’ Friday night. Tried ta tell ya ol’ Merle’s turnin’ over a brand new leaf an’ ya didn’t believe me.”_

_As much as Daryl was enjoying the thought of Merle wearing a shirt with buttons and having to use a napkin, he knew good and well that’s not what he was all fired up to tell him._

_“I’m happy for ya brother, but I know that ain’t what ya hate tellin’ me, so tell it.” Daryl prodded._

_“Yeah, well, while we was at the restaurant I saw yer man **Caesar** there.” Like always, he used his first name and said it like it left a bad taste in his mouth. It was no secret Merle didn’t care for the man and he cared even less for Daryl being with him._

_“So what? Was he with his ma and sisters or somethin’?” It wasn’t unusual for Martinez to take his mother and two sisters out to eat every now and then. Although come to think of it, it was pretty late when Daryl had talked to him last night and he hadn’t mentioned anything about it. He dropped the half-smoked cigarette into the empty beer bottle he’d been using for an ashtray, suddenly not sure he wanted to hear where this was going._

_“Nah, wasn’t his ma or his sisters.” Merle didn’t beat around the bush. “Some guy, suity type. Smilin’ too much an’ laughin’ too loud. Real used car salesman kinda fella.” Merle sighed heavily. “They uh...they looked real cozy, little brother. Like, holdin’ hands ‘cross the table cozy. Like, Mr. Suit puttin’ his arm ‘round ‘im when they left n’ got in that fancy Mercedes, all holdin’ the door for ‘im an’ shit cozy. An’ that kiss he gave yer boy,” he let out a low whistle. “Well, that jus’ ain’t the kinda kiss ya oughtta be givin’ somebody at a three an’ a half star joint, even I know…”_

_“Dammit, Merle, I know what cozy means!” Daryl cut him off. He’d heard enough._

_He was quiet for a minute and Merle waited. When Daryl spoke again his voice had taken on an even, flat tone. “Did he see ya?” he asked._

_“Nah, he didn’t see us. Couldn’t take ‘is eyes offa Mr. Suit long enough…”_

He’d sent the rest of them on their way with no explanation other than he’d changed his mind, and his mood at the time had told them not to ask why. Then he’d called Martinez, not at all surprised that he’d gotten his voicemail. He’d left a message, (not so) kindly telling him to fuck off.

 

Daryl straightened up and rolled his shoulders, dropping his finished cigarette in the empty beer bottle before going inside for another one. He came back out and hooked his foot around the leg of the chair in the corner, dragging it forward to the railing. He sat with his elbows on his knees and breathed out a heavy sigh as he twisted the cap off the bottle.

He hadn’t checked the time and didn’t feel like digging his phone out of his pocket, but he knew it couldn’t be much past eight, the crowd on Bourbon getting thicker and louder by the minute. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like in the next hour, much less closer to midnight, and he tried to concentrate on the noise instead of the thoughts spinning around in his head.

He wasn’t even sure who he was more pissed off at, Martinez or himself.

He’d been with Martinez for seven months now, living together for four. They hadn’t liked each other much when Martinez first came to work for Abe and he wasn’t even sure how it had started really except that one night when he was still living with Merle, Martinez had dropped by with a twelve pack. Wanted to “hang out”, he’d said. They woke up together the next morning and had been together ever since. Martinez had seemed to get him like not many people did. Or at least he’d thought that was the case.

Merle gave him shit for believing in relationships and love. He didn’t trust easily but he believed in that stuff despite how they’d grown up. Merle didn’t believe in any of it, or he’d always said he didn’t anyway. He always told Daryl it was nothing but trouble, that all he had to do was think about their mama and daddy to see that love and marriage were nothing but a crock. But Daryl knew people who were in love and made it work. So yeah, he believed in it.

He’d decided a long time ago he’d never get married, though. Not that he didn’t believe in that, too, for other people. He had no problem with commitment, it didn’t scare him nearly as bad as he always thought it would. Hell, he’d considered himself committed to Martinez. He just knew marriage wasn’t for him. His old man had made a mockery out of the whole thing, and his mama had used “he’s my husband” one too many times as an excuse to stay trapped in a situation none of them had any business being in. If never getting married gave him an easy out if he ever needed it, then so be it. 

He wasn’t in love with Martinez, he knew that. He didn’t think Martinez was in love with him either and they hadn’t said it to each other. Daryl knew he’d cared about him though, he wouldn’t have moved in with him if he didn’t. Martinez had acted like he cared too, and Daryl had thought maybe there was a chance it could be more one day.

If he was honest though, he’d thought something was up. Something had been off even before he came out here for this job, something was different that he couldn’t quite put his finger on although he’d had his suspicions. But he’d ignored it or made excuses for it because he hadn’t wanted to think that he had been wrong about Martinez. 

He had planned to confront his live-in boyfriend when he got home anyway, ask him outright what was going on, if there was somebody else. He knew he was far from perfect and he knew he wasn’t very good at this kind of stuff, but he’d tried hard to do his part to make it work. He’d begun to realize that Martinez wasn’t trying nearly as hard. Daryl wasn’t one to beat around the bush or play games, and Martinez knew Daryl had zero tolerance when it came to lying and cheating.

Funny how your boyfriend fucking somebody else could put things in a whole new perspective.

Daryl’s eyes narrowed and took a long pull from the bottle. Suddenly a whole lot of things were starting to click.

All those times he’d told Daryl he was taking his ma and sisters out to dinner and Daryl had no reason to doubt him. Except Daryl had never once been invited along, and he was under the impression that Martinez didn’t even like his sisters much anyway. Now he doubted he’d taken them out at all. 

He was the one being wined and dined by that rich prick all along, eating at the kind of place he’d claimed to hate, with the kind of person he’d claimed to hate, and then leaving with Mr. Suit in one of those fancy foreign cars he’d claimed to hate.

Martinez had been so upset that he would be gone for two whole weeks. Now Daryl guessed he probably couldn’t wait for him to leave. In fact, with one phone call, he suddenly doubted anything the man had ever said to him.

He had always known that if he fell in love with somebody he would love them for the rest of his life, and right now he was so glad he hadn’t fallen in love with Martinez. His feelings were beyond hurt right now, but more than that he was mad as hell. It had been a long time since he’d felt anger like this. Martinez had pretended to be something he wasn’t and he’d made a fool out of Daryl. It was a small town and if Merle Dixon had seen them at a nice restaurant, you could bet a shit load of other people had, too.

Merle had been right about the guy all along and there wasn’t much he hated worse than Merle being right.

He’d gone out last night if for no other reason than he was bored senseless. He’d never really been much for hanging out with a crowd, had always preferred solitude most of the time. But he’d been tripping over his own thoughts and tired of staring at the building across the street so he’d taken his chances on Bourbon Street. That’s why he was right back on this balcony tonight.

It hadn’t taken more than two blocks for him to realize it just wasn’t for him. And that was saying something when he’d lived with Merle most of his life. His brother could get into crazier shit than anybody he’d ever seen but even Merle wouldn’t have known what to make of Bourbon Street. He’d have made an ass of himself though, you could bet on that.

He’d ducked into a bar and spent a little time listening to blues and drinking Jack and Coke, and hadn’t been the least bit surprised that it hadn’t helped one bit. He’d even entertained the idea of finding some company for the night, but his mood had been so sour that even that didn’t sound appealing.

He lit another cigarette and inhaled deeply, blowing smoke rings and watching them drift away into the night. And then he wasn’t thinking about Martinez at all, but a pair of crystal blue eyes. The man he’d seen on the sidewalk as he was leaving the bar.

He’d stopped to light a cigarette about the same time the guy had stepped aside to allow a crowd to pass. The guy was standing against the building, and although Daryl never made eye contact he’d watched him from the corner of his eye. Blue Eyes was alternately staring at him in general and then at the cigarette in his mouth. He’d known the man probably couldn’t see him very well with the light behind him, but he must not have realized that Daryl could see him just fine. Or maybe he hadn’t cared.

He was dressed in a simple black t-shirt and blue jeans, but damn the way he wore them made them look anything but basic. Even in the dim light, Daryl could see the clear blue eyes that still hadn’t looked away.

So he might have made a show of it, pulling on the cigarette a little harder, the hollow of his cheeks a little deeper maybe. Instead of blowing the smoke out he may have let it drift lazily out of his open mouth to form a sort of halo until it drifted away on the breeze. He had no game whatsoever, but the way the guy had stared at him you’d never know it.

If it was his way of saying ‘fuck you’ to Martinez until he could get back home and kick his ass then so be it.

Daryl thought the guy might have been one of the sexiest men he had ever seen, and if he hadn’t known he was in an asshole mood he might have tried to work up the nerve to do more than tease him with a cigarette. But he was in an asshole mood and he wasn’t going to go there.

The man had looked away so Daryl had turned and moved on, but he could feel those blue eyes practically burning a hole in him as he’d walked off into the crowd.

Now he wished he’d approached the man. As far as he was concerned he’d been single since the minute Martinez had stuck his dick where it didn’t belong, at the very least since he got the call from Merle. So fuck him.

He sighed heavily again and scrubbed his hand over his face, then dropped the half-smoked cigarette into the bottle and stood. Fuck it. He didn’t feel like staying in tonight either. In fact, he might just get shit-faced drunk.


	2. Happenstance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two men walk into a bar...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the reads, kudos and kind words!! 
> 
> Let's get these boys a drink or three. :)

Once he was satisfied that he looked his best and he had managed to calm his nerves a little, Rick left the bathroom and picked up their suitcases and the overnight bag packed with a change of clothes for each of them. He carried them out and loaded them in his truck, and with that done he went back inside to check all the things that a person usually checked before leaving on a trip. In the kitchen, he made sure he’d turned off the coffee pot and the stove, and checked to be sure the back door was locked. He grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator on the way out and walked to the back of the house, making sure he hadn’t left a light on anywhere. On the way back up the hall, he stopped to check the thermostat, knowing full well this was the second or third time he’d done all of this. 

He checked his watch again to see that it was only ten o’clock. The ceremony wasn’t until eleven and he wasn’t sure how early he should get there. If he had his way he’d get there as soon as he could, he’d be there already, but with the way those women had acted over all of this he wasn’t sure they would even let him see Daryl before it started. He decided it would be a whole lot easier to wait here alone than it would be to wait at the farm, knowing Daryl was only a few rooms away and he wasn’t allowed to see him. 

It was different when they were away from each other for work or when Daryl went hunting for the day. It wasn’t even so bad when he worked late shifts and they didn’t see each other from early morning until late at night. This was the first time they had spent the night apart since they’d met a year ago though, and Rick didn’t like it at all. He decided it would never happen again if he could help it. 

He hoped Annette realized the lengths they were willing to go to just to make her happy. 

He stopped in front of the mirror in the foyer to check his tie one last time although he didn’t think it could possibly get any straighter. His white shirt and dark gray slacks were still crisp and wrinkle free so the ladies should be satisfied with his appearance at least. 

He finally locked the front door and got in his truck, pulling out of the driveway in the direction of the farm. It wasn’t more than a ten-minute drive, but he had to go through town and he found himself hoping that Saturday traffic would be light as he felt his anticipation building.

Halfway through town, as he sat idling at a red light, he sent Merle a quick text to let him know he was almost there. He wanted to give the ladies a heads up in case they felt the need to stash Daryl somewhere, just to torture him a little longer. 

As he neared the farm he thought that without a doubt he had to be the luckiest man in the world. He smiled softly thinking of Ms. Octavia, as he’d done so often. 

Before this past year he hadn’t really believed in fate, or maybe he just hadn’t really considered it. Over the last year though he’d thought about it a lot. He’d felt it the night they met - although he didn’t realize that until later - and he felt it just as strongly now. 

He and Daryl were simply meant to be. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

_One year ago..._

 

The minute Rick walked through the door he was glad he’d stopped at the front desk on his way out to ask about a quieter, less touristy bar, although he’d doubted such a place even existed in the Quarter. It was relatively small, and with dark paneled walls and a hardwood floor, even the garish light from the neon bar signs that hung everywhere looked dim and welcoming. It wasn’t seedy by any means but Rick couldn’t call it anything other than a dive bar and it was perfect. It was the closest thing to anything back home he’d seen since he’d been here.

The place was crowded but it wasn’t packed and he was able to make his way to the bar without having to shoulder through a throng of people. There was the usual jangle of voices, a dozen or more conversations that couldn’t manage to drown out the mournful wail of the blues guitar being played on the little stage in the corner.

There were only a few empty stools so he took one close to the end of the bar and waited for the bartender to work her way over to him. When she finally stopped in front of him she slowed down long enough to lean her elbows on the scarred and time-worn bar top and flash him a bright smile.

“Hey there, sweetie, what are we drinkin’ tonight?” She had that distinct New Orleans accent, the one that sounds like Brooklyn with a southern twang. She was a good ten years younger than him and definitely pretty, with long red hair and bright green eyes. Realizing that was the first thing he’d noticed, he gave himself a mental shake and determinedly put the old woman’s words out of his head. For good this time.

If he’d wanted a beer he could’ve stayed in his room and he wasn’t in the mood to try any of the racier cocktails New Orleans was known for, so he stuck with what he knew.

“Jack and Coke please.”

“Sure thing, sugar, comin’ right up.” She came back a minute later and set his drink in front of him, then walked away with a wink.

He sipped his drink and let his eyes roam the room, taking everything in and looking at nothing in particular. A young couple stood next to him waiting for their drinks, so when the voice on the other side of them caught his attention from the very end of the bar he couldn’t see who it belonged to. It was thick and gruff yet somehow as smooth as warm butter when the man ordered his own Jack and Coke. What really caught his attention though, was the drawl that he was almost positive came out of Georgia.

He thought the couple would never get their drinks and move, and when they finally did he was pleasantly surprised to look over and meet the eyes of the man who’d made the simple act of lighting a cigarette look sinfully sexy. The man stared back at him for a long moment, then looked away when the young bartender set his drink in front of him.

A short minute later the man glanced over at him again and figuring he had nothing to lose, Rick made up his mind. He took his drink and walked around the end of the bar.

 

Daryl had seen him the minute he’d walked up to the bar. Well, not him actually, but his reflection in the mirror behind the bar. He ordered his drink and happened to be looking in the man’s general direction when the couple beside him moved, and then he was looking him in the eye. He could see him better now even in the dim light of the bar, and if he’d thought he was good looking last night, well, that sidewalk must have been darker than he thought.

His brown hair lay in soft curls that just brushed the collar of a denim shirt that was so blue it matched the color of his eyes almost perfectly. His beard was more than a five o’clock shadow but not really a beard, and he had a feeling that scruff would be almost as soft as his curls looked.

He spent the next several minutes waffling between ‘don’t embarrass yourself’ and ‘what the hell, say something to him’, ‘don’t embarrass yourself’ consistently winning out because he had no idea what he would say.

As it turned out he didn’t have to say anything. Blue Eyes was coming to him.

Rick rounded the bar and nodded at the empty stool beside the man. The closer he got the better he looked and he was hoping beyond hope he wasn’t about to make a fool of himself. He breathed an inward sigh of relief and sat down when the guy nodded back.

There was silence for a minute, then Rick spoke up. “If you don’t mind me askin’, and unless I’m wrong, what part of Georgia are you from?”

The man turned and looked at him with dark, piercing blue eyes, his face expressionless. For a minute Rick thought he might not answer.

As soon as the man opened his mouth to speak Daryl knew he was from Georgia, no way he couldn’t be. That said, he didn’t think he’d ever in his life heard a sexier southern drawl come out of a man’s mouth. His plump lips were curved in a small, friendly smile, and Daryl had to force himself to look away for a second to keep from staring.

“Jus’ southwest of Atlanta. Walkertown. You?” Daryl finally answered.

Rick couldn’t believe it. Walkertown was barely a thirty-minute drive from home. His small smile grew just a bit wider when he answered, “King County. Rick Grimes,” and he offered his hand for Daryl to shake.

Daryl eyed Rick’s hand then gripped it firmly. “Daryl Dixon.”

They sat drinking and talking, about everything and nothing at all. They talked about being there for work and Daryl’s love of motorcycles. They discovered that neither of them cared much for watching sports but they both loved the outdoors, which turned to talk of hunting and fishing. They talked about New Orleans not exactly being their cup of tea, both agreeing it was nice if a little on the weird side. They kept the conversation to general topics, no personal questions. Rick was okay with that and he thought Daryl seemed to be, too. 

And the drinks kept flowing.

After a while, enough drinks had flowed for Daryl to decide that if he didn’t at least try he’d probably end up regretting it. He made up his mind that when he left this bar, Rick was leaving with him. 

The man was gorgeous, but it wasn’t just that. He paid attention, he was laid back and funny in an oddball way. He got the impression that Rick was pretty much everything Martinez wasn’t, which was probably a ridiculous assumption since he really didn’t know this guy. And he couldn’t be completely sure, but he was beginning to think Blue Eyes was just as interested as he was. Now he just had to figure out a way to make it happen.

Rick was beyond pleasantly buzzed although not completely drunk yet, and any other time he would have called it quits and left already. Except he didn’t want to leave yet because he was enjoying being here with Daryl. More than that, he didn’t feel like he could leave even if he wanted to. He felt drawn to the other man in a way that he didn’t understand and couldn’t explain.

A couple of drinks later Rick looked up to signal the bartender for another round and caught her reflection in the mirror behind the bar. Was that...?

He squinted a little to get a better look. He knew the lighting wasn’t the best...but...was that the old woman from the streetcar? In a bar? She was looking back at him with a knowing smile. He turned to look over his shoulder only to be met with the smiles of several young women seated around a table, one of whom caught his eye.

She looked to be in her early twenties with short, jet black hair. Despite her young age, her eyes held a wisdom that was far beyond her years and she was staring back at him with the same knowing look he’d just seen in the mirror. The throng of bracelets on her wrist shifted when she raised her glass in a silent toast to Rick, and then he saw it. A small, pewter charm dangling from the black leather cord that hung around her neck. It was impossible to tell from where he was sitting, but Rick had the strange feeling that it was a tiny angel sitting atop an etched heart.

He turned back in time for the bartender to set their drinks in front of them. He wasn’t sure how many he’d had in the last couple of hours but it must have been enough for his eyes to be playing tricks on him. That had to be it.

Two rounds later the conversation was still easy and Daryl was a bit surprised they hadn’t run out of things to talk about. Shit, he was surprised he’d held a conversation for this long to begin with. Rick’s words had started to slur a little and damn if the guy wasn’t adorable when he was drunk. 

He was starting to feel it himself, and through the haze of alcohol, he was aware that if they got too drunk they wouldn’t be doing anything except passing out together. But even with that logical reasoning in mind, he ordered the next round.

They’d been sitting in comfortable silence for a few minutes when the _schick_ of Daryl’s zippo drew Rick’s attention. He turned in time to watch him light a cigarette, this time not bothering to hide the fact that he was staring, because he kind of got the feeling Daryl wanted him to.

His lips formed a perfect ‘o’ and he blew an equally perfect smoke ring before letting the rest of it drift out of his mouth. Like the last time the smoke twisted in an almost artistic way, forming tendrils that absorbed the multi-colored light as they curled and spiraled upward and away.

Rick took a long minute to really look at him. Without a doubt, he was easy on the eyes. With chiseled cheekbones and a mess of scruff covering a sharp jawline he wasn’t what you’d call classically handsome at all, yet he was undeniably sexy as hell.

His shaggy hair fell to his shoulders, a few wispy strands curling around to frame his face. It looked like he’d let it air dry, raking his fingers through it at best to try and tame it, but it worked for him. He wondered if it was as soft as it looked.

Daryl turned to look at him and the light caught the deep blue of his eyes just right, causing them to sparkle like storm clouds right before the lightning hit. Rick didn’t think he’d ever seen eyes that particular shade of blue, nor eyes that were quite that intense.

His very next breath, Rick didn’t think he could draw a breath at all and his hand tightened its grip around his glass. Every thought left him except one.

_A blue-eyed beauty with long, dark locks will set you on the right path._

Son of a bitch.

He looked at the mirror, then over his shoulder, but the group of young women had been replaced by two different women sitting with two men. He took a deep breath and tried to corral his racing thoughts. He wasn’t just enjoying Daryl’s company, he didn’t merely feel drawn to him and this wasn’t just simple attraction. He wanted him.

Daryl had to be the blue eyed beauty she was talking about because he fucking wanted him and he knew it now. Shit, if he was being honest he’d wanted him from the minute he’d sat down beside him. No, that wasn’t true either. He’d wanted him since he’d seen him standing on the sidewalk and he’d been paying too much attention to every dark haired woman he saw to realize it.

_Ah, cher, you seem misguided…_

Ha! You got that right, sister.

He drained his glass and took another deep breath. He told Daryl he’d be back and made his escape to the bathroom. Maybe not really an escape. He did need to piss something awful but he also needed a minute to get his shit together. Suddenly he was determined that he wasn’t going back to his room alone tonight.

Rick had suddenly excused himself to the bathroom and got up. Actually, Daryl had heard him “schcuse” himself, but he wasn’t sure if it was Rick’s mouth or his ears that had fucked it all up. He watched him walk to the other end of the room, again not sure if Rick was walking that slow or if he was just seeing him that slow. His legs seemed to be in some kind of dispute with his brain as to which direction they should go in and he stumbled a little.

His bowlegged swagger was a sight to see and he was positive Rick had the nicest ass he’d ever seen on a man, even if it was staggering just a little.

He scrubbed a hand over his face. Right now he wanted Rick more than he’d ever wanted anything. It didn’t make one bit of sense to him considering what he’d just gone through and still had to settle when he got home, but he fucking wanted him and not just tonight if he was being honest. 

He wouldn’t mind seeing him again once they got back home. It didn’t really matter what he wanted though if Rick didn’t want it too. The signs were all there and he was pretty sure he was reading them right, but still. He’d sure as shit been wrong before.

He sat for a minute tearing at the corner of his napkin, then chewing on his thumbnail, then fidgeting with the leather cord that he wasn’t used to having around his neck. He supposed there was only one way to find out. He signaled to the bartender as he placed a cardboard coaster on each of their glasses, then took a deep breath and followed Rick to the bathroom.

After what seemed like the longest walk ever Rick finally made it to the men’s room. He felt like he was walking with all the grace of a three-legged spider and wondered if it wouldn’t be wise to cut himself off. Thankfully he was the only one in there at the moment and the first thing he did was empty his bladder. He was honestly surprised he’d made it this long.

His thoughts were as discombobulated as he was, and he was perfectly content to blame the alcohol. There was one thought that seemed to be clamoring for attention above all the rest, though.

The first and only time Rick had been with a man was right before he’d graduated the academy, which was also right before he’d started dating Lori. He’d assumed it was a one-time thing, simple curiosity, and when he and Lori had married he’d put it away and fallen into the life of trying to be a good husband and father. He hadn’t thought about it again until he’d seen Daryl on the street last night, and he was definitely thinking about it now.

Oh, how he was thinking about it right now and he knew two things for certain. One being that it clearly hadn’t been simple curiosity all those years ago. The other being that he had never wanted to be with a man more than he did right now, and he meant for Daryl to be that man.

He walked to one of the sinks and stared at his reflection in the mirror, pleased that he at least didn’t look quite as disheveled as he felt. His little moment of clarity had thrown him a curveball, but the initial shock and surprise of that little revelation were gone and in their place was an undercurrent of excitement.

The door opened and he looked up, surprised to see Daryl standing there. He leaned against the door with his hands behind his back and looked at Rick for a long minute before walking over to one of the urinals. Rick turned on the water to wash his hands and, knowing full well it wasn’t proper urinal etiquette, looked in the mirror and stared at Daryl’s back this time.

The black t-shirt he wore fit snug across his shoulders and muscled biceps, but his appraisal didn’t get much further than that before he realized that even with his back turned, Daryl seemed to be making a show of pulling his dick out his jeans. Jeans that were open and hung low on his hips.

Rick felt his pulse quicken as he looked away and shut the water off, but the low, throaty moan that came from Daryl when he got going had him turning it right back on and splashing some on his face. His cheeks felt rather warm and he couldn’t be sure that the heat was from the alcohol.

He heard Daryl zip up as he pulled a couple of towels from the dispenser and dabbed at his face, then he was standing beside him, close enough that their shoulders touched. Okay, well, he’d had as much to drink as Rick had, maybe he was just propping himself up. Rick was pretty sure that wasn’t the real reason, but just in case he stood still while Daryl washed his hands.

Daryl shut the water off and tore out a couple of towels, then turned to face Rick. Shit, he was standing close. Close enough that in the harsh florescent light Rick could see that his eyes had lightened half a shade. Close enough that he could smell the woodsy scent of whiskey that he suddenly wanted to taste right out of his mouth. Close enough that his body heat seemed to reach out and settle in the front of Rick’s pants, right behind the zipper, like the warmth of an invisible caress that caused his dick to stir and fill.

Daryl breathed in deeply and had to stop himself from taking the final step that would put him right up against Rick. He was close enough to smell the whiskey on his breath, but besides that, he smelled so fucking good that even under the influence of all the booze his brain was able to supply him with any number of ideas, all kinds of dirty things he wanted to do to and with him. 

He felt his cock stir and he was worried that if he stood here much longer with Rick staring at him like that he was going to have no choice but to act on some of those things. As bad as he wanted him, and fuck he wanted him really bad, he didn’t want him in the bathroom of some bar.

Somewhere amid the alcohol buzz and thoughts that had turned several shades dirtier, Rick heard the door rattle and he looked over to see that Daryl had locked it when he came in. His gaze drifted back to the man standing dangerously close and he swallowed thickly. Daryl’s eyes drifted down to his throat for just a second before they locked on Rick’s again.

Daryl raised his hand and reached out, and he couldn’t be sure if it was the whiskey that slowed things down or if Daryl was being a tease although at this point he suspected the latter. Rick’s heart slammed once against his chest before settling into a fluttering staccato when Daryl swiped the pad of his thumb along his chin, just barely below his bottom lip.

“Ya got a little water…” He let his words trail off as he lifted his thumb to his own mouth and sucked the droplets off.

Fucking hell. 

In a matter of seconds, his heart rate sped up from a fluttering staccato to a thundering stampede and his cock had gone from just stirring to a near-painful press against the back of his zipper. Daryl was either going to have to turn around and walk out of this bathroom right now, or turn around and let Rick do something about it.

He wasn’t sure whether to be thankful or disappointed when Daryl finally did turn to leave, throwing over his shoulder, “C’mon, I’ll buy ya a drink.”

With Daryl’s back turned Rick quickly pressed his palm to the bulge in his pants, not helping matters a bit, and followed him out of the bathroom. Surprisingly their seats were still empty, their empty glasses where they left them. Rick wasn’t the least bit subtle when they sat and he turned to face Daryl, one of his knees nestled between Rick’s own, and he was pleased when Daryl didn’t move to change it. 

Daryl had no clue where he got the nerve to do what he’d just done but Rick didn’t seem put off by it so that was something. He was ready to steer the other man towards the door, but he had to know.

“Lemme astcha somethin’, Blue Eyes.” Rick wasn’t the only one talking in cursive.

“Blue Eyes?” Rick asked with a slight grin.

Daryl nodded. “Been callin’ ya tha’ in m’head since I saw ya las’ nigh’. Din’t know yer name…so…” He shrugged. Rick’s eyes narrowed and Daryl gave him a wink. “Oh yeah, I saw ya.”

Rick could only hope the dim interior hid the blush he felt creeping up his neck. “S’ok. Din’t know yer name either. Called ya the Marlboro Man in my head,” he grinned.

Daryl couldn’t help his own lopsided grin. If Rick had been calling him something in his head that meant he’d been thinking about him. That was a good thing, right?

“As’ me what?” Rick slurred.

“Huh? Oh yeah.” He took a deep breath. “How’s a guy like you not got somebody waitin’ on ‘im a’ home?”

Rick propped his face on his hand and grinned bigger. “If tha’s yer way of askin’ if ‘m single then yeah, ‘m very single. Been d’vorced a couple a years now.” He gave Daryl a look that he hoped was sexy and seductive. He meant for it to be although he could have been cross-eyed for all he knew. “Could as’ you the same thing.”

Something crossed Daryl’s features but was gone so quickly that Rick couldn’t begin to read it. It was replaced by the most smoldering look that Rick had ever been on the receiving end of.

“Nah. ‘M very single.” Daryl slurred.

“A’righ’ then,” Rick smiled and leaned in closer, so that they were practically huddled together.

They were oblivious to everything around them and he was about to suggest they take this somewhere else when Daryl’s eyes moved to look at something over Rick’s shoulder, and he turned to follow his gaze. At some point, two younger women had taken the seats next to them across the corner of the bar and they were both looking at them all dreamy eyed and smiling broadly.

When they noticed Rick and Daryl noticing them, the one in short pigtails waggled her fingers in a wave.

“Hi. Sorry, we didn’t mean to stare, but you guys are just so cute together. It’s easy to see how much you love each other.”

Rick’s head snapped around to look at Daryl and Daryl was staring wide-eyed at him and he had no idea what to say. Pigtails momentarily rescued him when she continued.

“Sorry, again. We’re just all about the love right now.” She held up her other hand, the left one, and waggled her fingers again to show off a wedding band. The woman beside her did the same. “We just got married. I’m Tara, this is my wife Denise.”

“Well, shit. ‘Gratulations then,” Daryl said and lifted his glass in a toast. Until he noticed it was empty. “Well, shit.” So he did what anybody would do to celebrate the marriage of two strangers in New Orleans.

He ordered a round of shots.


	3. Fluke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Get hammered in New Orleans, they said. 
> 
> It'll be fun, they said.
> 
> What could possibly go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of the reads, reviews and kudos! They mean so much. I'm so happy y'all are enjoying this!

Daryl was pacing around the guest room at the farm, each lap around the middle of the room smaller than the last. Before long he’d be spinning in circles and it was just as well because that’s about how he felt anyway. How in the hell he and Rick had managed to get talked into this was beyond him. 

 

No, it wasn’t. It was Annette and her twisting that little lacy handkerchief in her fingers and looking at them all sweet and sad like she was going to be just devastated if they didn’t do this for her. Knowing full well the two of them would do anything to keep her from being devastated. Then there were those two daughters of hers egging their mama right on, having a good time seeing them squirm.

 

They’d been hoodwinked by somebody’s sweet, southern mama and here he was, nerves all tied up in knots and nearly spinning circles. Shit, he’d never once seen Annette carry a hanky, not even to church.

 

He took a deep breath and tried to focus. He still had to figure out something to say once he was standing in front of everybody. He knew there wouldn’t be more than a dozen people at the most, but it might as well have been a hundred. Because throwing them a wedding wasn’t enough. No, those three Greene women had decided it would be _so sweet_ if they wrote their own vows.

 

Rick had come to his rescue on that one. Sort of. Until he told Daryl they didn’t have to write anything, they could simply say whatever came to them. Wing it. 

 

Wing it? Did Rick even know him at all? He wasn’t the best at general conversation on a good day. Rick must have a shit ton of faith in him because he wasn’t sure he should be trusted to wing anything in front of a bunch of people. What he was sure of was that he was going to open his mouth and either nothing would come out at all or a bunch of bullshit was going to fall out of it. There would be no in between.

 

He stopped in front of the dresser long enough to look in the mirror, glaring at the tie that hung around his neck like it offended him. Because it did. As if this wedding and making him talk in front of people wasn’t enough, Annette had come at him with a tie. Knowing damn well she’d never seen him wear a tie any more than he’d ever seen her with a hanky.

 

And she didn’t ask sweetly this time either, she gave him no choice. She might be somebody’s sweet southern mama but that woman could be downright scary when she wanted to be.

 

Didn’t matter that he had no clue how to tie one either, oh no, she’d been more than happy to do that for him this morning. More like a damn hangman’s noose is what it was. Felt like it was choking the life right out of him. Merle had thought it was the funniest shit he’d ever seen until she’d tied one around his neck, too. That had shut him up real quick and almost made it worth it.

 

The only reason he hadn’t put up more of a fuss was that Rick had told him he thought he’d look pretty damn sexy in a tie. He was starting to think Rick was on their side. 

 

He glanced over at the clock on the nightstand. The ceremony was supposed to start at eleven and it was only ten thirty. The women had all wanted it to be in the early afternoon, but Rick had put his foot down on that one and insisted they do it late morning. He said he had a surprise planned for Daryl and they needed to get a fairly early start. 

 

Daryl couldn’t wait for it to be just the two of them again after all this hoopla. He didn’t know why the hell they’d made him stay at the farm last night anyway. Wasn’t like he hadn’t been sharing a bed with Rick every night for, well, most of the last year anyway. Long enough that he’d gotten very little sleep last night without him. 

 

He hoped those Greene women were happy with themselves. 

 

And speaking of Rick, shouldn’t he be here by now? 

 

He’d just resumed his pacing when there was a knock at the door and Merle appeared. “Friendly jus’ sent me a text, little brother. He’ll be here in less’n five minutes so’s ya can quit walkin’ a hole in Annette’s rug.” He narrowed his eyes at his brother and grinned. “Ain’t gettin’ cold feet are ya?”

 

The words were barely out of his mouth when they heard Rick’s truck pull up. He could practically feel his heart swell and he breathed a sigh of relief. He stuck his hands in his pockets, his right hand fiddling with the small charm he had put there when he got dressed this morning. 

 

“Hell no,” he answered his brother. 

 

He might be nervous, but the fact was he’d move heaven and earth to marry Rick Grimes. Besides, this was the one that meant the most, right? He took another deep breath when he heard the front door open and Rick come in. 

 

It might mean the most, but the first time sure was a whole lot easier. Mostly.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

_One year ago..._

 

 

Daryl stirred in his sleep and slid his arm further around the middle of the warm body in front of him. He wiggled a little to snuggle in closer, then stopped. Huh, he couldn’t remember the last time Martinez had let him sleep close like this. The taste in his mouth and his tongue glued to the roof of it told him they’d had enough to drink last night that the other man probably just didn’t realize it yet.

 

Wait...that wasn’t right. Even through the fog of sleep and a hangover he remembered that he and that prick were over. So then who…?

 

He forced one eye open, and the pale morning light filtering in through the tiny space between the curtains may as well have been an ultraviolet laser beam the way it seared through his eye socket and pounded straight into his brain. He snapped that eye shut and peeked open the other one, the one that was safely shaded behind the shoulder of….

 

He looked up at the mess of brown curls barely inches from his face. Holy fuck, how much did he drink last night and how in the hell did he end up spooning Aaron? Eric was gonna kill them both. Before he could even begin to formulate an answer to that the solid body in front of him shifted and turned just far enough that he was looking at Rick’s profile. 

 

Oh, thank fuck. _That_ he could do. He tried hard to remember if he did and he really hoped he had. That had been the plan anyway. He decided he’d think about it later. Rick hadn’t woken up so he didn’t see any good reason he had to either. He resumed his previous wiggling until he was as close to Rick as he could get and tucked his face into the crook of his neck, then he was asleep. 

 

 

Rick came awake slowly to what he thought might be the King County High marching band playing the school fight song inside his head, the majorettes using their batons like a metronome keeping tempo against his skull. He opened his eyes slowly, almost sure that they would be crossed when he did. The annoying sliver of light worming its way between the curtains told him the sun was up but he had no clue what time it was. 

 

His mouth tasted - and felt - like he’d been eating paste and he had to pee something fierce. He moved to roll out of bed only to realize he couldn’t move much at all, held firmly in place by the arm slung around his waist. It was only then that he realized he wasn’t in bed alone.

 

He was able to turn his head just far enough to see the top of someone’s head covered with a disheveled mop of shaggy, dark hair. He immediately remembered who that shaggy mop belonged to and couldn’t help grinning, even if the bass drum was determined to kill his little moment of happiness. 

 

So he had managed to leave the bar with Daryl after all. Hell yeah. Seconds later he was disappointed to realize that he couldn’t remember, well, anything that happened after they got back here last night. Come to think of it, he couldn’t really remember leaving the bar either. 

 

Shit, how much did he drink and when was the last time he did that?

 

He wasn’t going to worry too much about it right this minute. Mainly because his bladder wasn’t going to let him, but also because he knew from experience that once he’d had some water, preferably in the form of coffee, and got something on his stomach it would likely come back to him. Most of it anyway.

 

Daryl must have been pretty out of it because Rick was able to lift his arm easily enough and roll out from under it. As soon as he sat up on the side of the bed, though, he realized that getting something - or keeping something - on his stomach was probably out of the question right now. 

 

His gut pitched and rolled as he hurried to the bathroom. He relieved himself as quickly as he could while sucking in deep breaths, trying to get his stomach to cooperate so he could take care of one thing at a time. As soon as he could he leaned over the toilet and retched louder than he would have liked, but nothing came up. 

 

He sat less than gracefully and let his naked back rest against the cold porcelain of the tub while his naked ass and legs soaked up the cool of the tile floor.

 

Oh Lord, this was both good and bad. Dry heaves sucked but they were better than puking in his opinion, except that meant he had probably been sick at some point earlier. The embarrassment he felt at that thought was worse than dry heaving or puking either one. 

 

If he had puked then passed out on Daryl before they even...shit if that’s what happened he thought he’d rather die right here naked on the bathroom floor than to have to face the man sleeping in the other room. 

 

He stood clumsily and went to the sink to splash cold water on his face. He remembered doing that at the bar last night right before Daryl came into the bathroom and locked the door, wiping his chin and sucking on his thumb, and he couldn’t help wondering if Daryl had used his mouth in other places and now he didn’t even remember it. Fuck. 

 

He threw some water on his face and was reaching for a towel when he saw it. The gold band on his ring finger. He’d been divorced for more than two years now, wasn’t it high time he took off his ring? Especially if he was going to be picking up men in bars. 

 

No, that couldn’t be right, he’d taken his ring off a long time ago. He looked closer and his eyes grew wide as he realized that the band he was wearing now was not the one he’d worn when he was married to Lori. 

 

For starters, that band had been real gold and this one was cheap, gold-colored plastic. Like a party favor, or something from a little girl’s dress-up set. 

 

The first wayward memory from last night slammed into focus and he whipped his head around to gape at his reflection in the mirror. He immediately wished that memory had been considerate enough to tiptoe in softly because now the marching band’s drumline was whipped into a halftime frenzy. 

 

_“...‘m very single.”_

 

_“M’very single, too.”_

 

_“Ain’t ever been married. Ain’t plannin’ on ever bein’ married.”_

 

_“Why’s tha’?”_

 

_“Who wansta marry an ol’ redneck asshole like me?”_

 

_“I’d marry ya in a heartbeat.”_

 

Oh fuck. Holy fuck. Did he? Did they? Surely they didn’t. Did they? 

 

He squeezed his eyes shut despite the resulting throb behind them, trying hard not to acknowledge the fleeting image he had of Daryl standing in front of him...and Elvis...and flowers everywhere. And he didn’t dare question why the band was now marching across his skull to the tune of “Burning Love”. That particular memory was vague at best and gone before he could make much of it. That might be a good thing at the moment. One thing at a time. 

 

_Fucking hell please tell me I didn’t get wasted, pick up a stranger in a bar, and then marry him_ , he thought. He was pretty sure they didn’t hand out plastic wedding rings with peanuts and chips at a bar though, and he was equally sure people didn’t toss them from balconies like beads, so it was very likely he was standing here a married man while his new husband slept…

 

Dammit. How was he supposed to go out there and casually wake Daryl and tell him _“good morning, oh and by the way we might be married”_? And were they really? This was New Orleans, not Vegas, they didn’t even do quickie weddings here, did they? On the other hand, with all the other weirdness that went on here he didn’t dare get his hopes up that he was wrong. 

 

He was entertaining the idea of not coming out of the bathroom at all when he heard Daryl loud and clear from the other room. 

 

_“What the fuck?!”_

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Daryl woke again when he heard the sound of Rick hugging the toilet from behind the bathroom door and rolled onto his back. _Guy’s a lightweight_ he thought, letting a lazy grin pull at the corner of his mouth at the vague memory of Rick leaning over and puking into the bushes last night. Oh well, he’d much rather he be a lightweight than walking around with a beer in his hand all the time like Martinez had. 

 

Shit, he really needed to stop doing that. 

 

He stretched only as hard as the pounding in his head would allow then sat up on the side of the bed. Fuck. It had been years since he drank enough to have a headache like this. On the other hand, he hadn’t had nearly this much in almost two years, so maybe that was it. Either way, at least he wasn’t going to be hurling like Rick. He never did. Still, his mouth was sticky and dry and his throat felt like sandpaper. He needed water.

 

He stood slowly and stretched again as he scanned the floor - and every other surface - for his clothes. All he could see was his t-shirt so he decided to go with nothing at all. He’d spent the night naked in Rick’s bed, after all, no reason to be modest now. He hoped like hell his head would clear pretty quickly and he’d be able to remember at least part of the night because right now he was feeling a little like an ass for not being able to recall any of it. 

 

He looked at the clock to see it was only seven thirty. Maybe Rick would be up for round two before he had to check out. Although considering what he’d just heard, probably not. Maybe after breakfast? 

 

He needed to piss something awful. Rick was either going to have to hurry or Daryl was going to have to go in and piss in the tub, right now he didn’t much care which. He was looking around the room for at least his pants so he could get a smoke when he heard the distinct bird call chirp of the voicemail alert on his phone. Whoever it was was going to have to wait until his head didn’t hurt quite as bad, but he crossed the room to where it lay on the dresser to silence it at least. 

 

He spotted a paper laying next to his phone and his own name caught his eye, so he picked it up instead. His eyes went wider than his headache comfortably allowed as he gaped at it, then moved from the paper to his reflection in the mirror, then to the reflection of the hand holding the paper. 

 

His left hand. 

 

“What the fuck?!”

 

 

Rick cringed and figured that problem was solved at least. Something told him Daryl knew and was just as surprised as he was. He also figured that hiding out in the bathroom wasn’t an option now so he took a deep breath and eased the door open. Daryl was standing across the room at the dresser holding a paper in his hand, and Rick had the sinking feeling that it was exactly what he was afraid it might be. 

 

Also, Daryl was butt naked and despite the situation, he couldn’t help noticing his ass. Damn. It had looked nice enough in jeans but that hadn’t come close to how...well... _nice_ didn’t even begin to cover it. Two perfect, firm…

 

“Rick!” Daryl winced at the volume of his own voice and gripped his head in one hand while the other waved the paper at him. “Ya gonna stand there an’ stare at my ass all day or ya gonna explain this?” 

 

Rick felt his face flush hot as he realized that Daryl was standing in front of the mirror and he’d been caught staring. He crossed the room slowly to stand in front of him, not caring at the moment that he was as naked as Daryl was. 

 

With his hair sticking out all over the place and a sleepy, probably somewhat hungover look on his face, Rick decided that he was a whole different kind of sexy fresh out of bed. He’d have to put those thoughts away for now though because Daryl was staring at him, waiting for an answer that he didn’t have.

 

“I…” he shrugged. “I wish I had an explanation but I...um...don’t remember too much.” He looked at the paper over Daryl’s shoulder. Yep, just as he suspected. A brand new, crisp, freshly printed marriage certificate. Looking all legal and everything. Rick took it from him to get a closer look.

 

Richard Andrew Grimes and Daryl Mason Dixon. 

 

There is was, right there in black and white and all official-like. 

 

Rick looked over at Daryl. “Mason. That’s a nice name. Wait. Mason Dixon?”

 

“Rick!” Daryl barked quietly but firmly through gritted teeth. 

 

They stood staring at each other for another long minute before Daryl took the paper back from him and dropped it on the dresser, then stalked off to the bathroom without a word. 

 

Rick was pretty sure that after this his chances of seeing him again when they got back home had gone from fifty-fifty to slim-to-none. Fuck.

 

 

Daryl took several deep breaths while he took a piss and tried to force himself to calm down at the same time that he was trying to will his head to stop pounding for one damn minute so he could think. 

 

Fuck. What were the chances that they were actually married? He thought that shit only happened in Vegas. He had a vague recollection of Rick telling him last night he’d marry him in a heartbeat, but at the time Daryl had thought that Rick was trying to sweet talk him so he could get in his pants. Which was unnecessary, by the way, because by that point he’d been a sure thing. 

 

How in the hell had they gone from bad flirting in a bar to being married? The not remembering part was the problem.

 

Then he did remember the two women that had been sitting at the bar when they came back from the bathroom, all smiles and waving their wedding rings around. 

 

And then Daryl had started buying shots. Well fuck.

 

He had never in his life been drunk enough to do something he didn’t remember the next morning, that was Merle’s MO. Dammit. Merle was going to give him endless shit over this and what was worse, he would never again be able to tell his brother that he did the stupidest shit he’d ever seen anybody do. This pretty much topped any of it. 

 

Daryl sighed deeply. It sure wasn’t helping anything hiding out in the bathroom of his _husband’s_ hotel room. He hoped like hell Rick had a better idea than he did of how to fix this. And by better, he meant any because Daryl had no fucking clue. 

 

He also really hoped Rick had put some pants on because he already couldn’t string two thoughts together. And he was pretty sure round two was out of the question. 

 

 

Rick was standing right where he’d left him - and still butt ass naked - when Daryl finally came out of the bathroom, only slightly less on edge than when he’d gone in. He was staring at that marriage certificate like it was going to give them all the answers they needed. Daryl kind of hoped it would actually. 

 

Maybe there was an ‘In Case You Get Married While You’re Hammered’ clause or something. 

 

Rick looked up when Daryl started pacing and chewing on his thumbnail. He had no idea what the other man was thinking but he didn’t look especially angry so that was a good thing, right? Daryl turned to change direction and Rick couldn’t help it, his eyes were drawn downward to where his flaccid dick gave a little bounce and sway as he paced and turned, paced and turned. Damn, he was….shit. _Focus_. 

 

He was fairly certain right now was not the time to be pondering length and girth, although judging by what he was looking at right now it couldn’t be anything but impressive.

 

Daryl had started mumbling to himself and he turned again, running his fingers through his hair and muttering “shit” when they snagged on something. 

 

It was only then Rick noticed the leather cord around his neck that looked like a choker, but was actually a longer cord that had gotten turned around backward in his sleep. Daryl pulled it forward and went to take it off but Rick stopped him.

 

“Where did you get that?” he asked, his eyes narrowed on the tiny charm that looked even tinier held between Daryl’s thick fingers. 

 

The other man shrugged. “Bought it from some old lady that had a cart fulla stuff down by the river. Don’t even wear shit like this but for some reason, I couldn’t say no to her. Prob’ly give it to my friend’s daughter. Figure teenage girls like this kinda stuff, right?”

 

“Can I see it?” Rick asked, pointing at the charm as he walked over to Daryl. Somehow he knew just as sure as he was standing there what it was before he took it from his fingers. His fingers brushed Daryl’s, rough and warm, and the look Daryl gave him at the contact was impossible to miss. _Focus_. 

 

Sure enough, when he looked at it there was a tiny angel sitting atop an etched heart. 

 

Could it be? Well if it was, Ms. Octavia really got around, didn’t she?

 

Daryl looked up to see a strange look on Rick’s face. “What?” he asked.

 

“Hm? Oh, nothin’. I saw one like it the other day is all.” He laid it against Daryl’s chest, careful not to touch him this time and dammit Daryl really needed to put some clothes on. 

 

Daryl chewed his lip nervously and started pacing again. 

 

Rick watched the other man walk back and forth, and then his dick was doing that hypnotic swaying thing again and Rick wondered where the hell the man’s pants were. Not that he wanted him to get dressed, he was very much enjoying the naked pacing and this might be the only time he got to see it. But it was distracting as hell.

 

He looked over at the rumpled covers and wrinkled sheets, slight nausea still rolling through his stomach at the movement mixed with disappointment that he couldn’t remember last night. Was it even good as drunk as they’d been? He didn’t know if Daryl had...or if he...shit. Did anything much even happen? He was starting to get the feeling he’d never get another chance to find out and he didn’t like that thought at all. 

 

As if on cue his head pounded, reminding him why everything was a blur. Besides being disappointed, he was embarrassed that the alcohol had gotten the best of him and he wondered if Daryl felt the same way. It occurred to him that the other man might remember more about it than he did and he wondered if it would be appropriate to ask him about it. Later, of course. If there was a later. 

 

Shit, if this wasn’t a fine example of why he had no business picking up a one night stand he didn’t know what was. 

 

He sighed and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, kneading the muscles there and hoping to alleviate the dull throb that seemed to trickle down from the top of his head. He was hungover and thirsty as hell, still naked, and apparently married to a man he didn’t know. He was pretty sure now was not the time to wonder if the sex they may or may not have had was good. 

 

He pinched the bridge of his nose and turned away from the bed to look around the room. All he could find of his own clothes were his boxers and his boots and just what the hell had they gotten up to in here? The room wasn’t even that big. 

 

He took a pair of jeans from his suitcase and pulled them on without boxers, then pulled on a t-shirt and stuck his feet in his boots, turning just in time to see Daryl flop to sit on the bed, wincing quietly as he did. 

 

Well, that answered that question at least.

 

“I’ve got some aspirin in my truck. I’m gonna go down and get it, you need anything while I’m gone?” He suddenly needed some air. He needed to think clearly and he was finding it harder and harder to do that with the smell of alcohol and sex, and Daryl’s naked, muscular form parading from one side of the room to the other and back. Between that and the hangover, Rick was starting to feel a little like a cobra being charmed by this man’s magic flute. Any other time that would be a good thing but right now he needed to get his head on straight. 

 

“Nah, man, m’good. Aspirin sounds good though.” Daryl said distractedly.

 

When Rick left the room Daryl stood with his hands on his hips and sighed deeply. Thank fuck Rick had finally put some pants on. He couldn’t half think as it was and watching him walk around naked sure wasn’t helping any. Shit. He had really hoped that Rick might want to see him again once they got home, but he was pretty sure getting drunk and marrying him was not the best way to make that happen. And just where the hell were his own clothes?

 

He tried to take his mind off of naked Rick long enough to find them and noticed for the first time that his duffel was sitting in the corner by the dresser.

 

_What the hell?_ He walked over and knelt down slowly, careful not to aggravate the pounding behind his eyes. He opened it and looked inside to see that everything he’d brought with him was there, right down to his toothbrush and deodorant. He had no fucking clue how it got here; something else he’d probably never know. 

 

He pulled on a pair of jeans, also leaving off boxers, and left them unbuttoned and only half zipped. What? He was still hoping that despite this whole drunk married thing that maybe he could convince Rick to see him again. Couldn’t hurt to try.

 

He shook a cigarette from the pack in his duffel and stepped out onto the balcony just as Rick came back in the room. He heard him moving around inside, then he knew he was standing at the open door watching him because he could feel his eyes raking over him, just like they had a couple of nights ago standing on the sidewalk. He finally stepped outside, two bottles of water and a small bottle of aspirin in one hand, his cell phone in the other. 

 

“Uh...there were waters and some aspirin on the nightstand. I didn’t see them before and I have no idea how they got there,” he said, handing Daryl the bottle of aspirin and opening a water for him.

 

“Prob’ly the same way my duffel made it from my hotel to here,” Daryl said as he slammed the aspirin back and emptied half the bottle of water.

 

“I noticed that when I came back in.” He’d also noticed that Daryl had put on pants and that he’d left them half open and hanging loose around those narrow hips that...dammit. _Focus_. 

 

“My phone was on the nightstand, too. With a note that said ‘watch me’. There’s a new video but I’m not real sure if we want to see it or not,” he said with a half smile.

 

“Ya fuckin’ kiddin’ me? Might tell us how we ended up in this...married.” He’d started to say mess, but for some reason he didn’t want Rick thinking that he thought being married to him would be a mess. Even if it kinda was right now. 

 

They pulled the two chairs forward and scooted them close, sitting shoulder to shoulder as Rick hit play. 

 

_“Hi, guys!...”_

 

“Wait,” Rick hit pause and pointed at the image of the girl with short pigtails. “That’s the girl from the bar last night isn’t it?”

 

“Yeah, that’s her. The hell’s she doin’ with your phone?” Daryl squinted and looked closer. “The hell’s she doin’ in your room?” 

 

Rick shook his head and hit play.

 

_“...I’m not real sure you’re gonna remember us...Tara and Denise...or much of anything for that matter but I hope you do. Anyway, I thought maybe we should explain.” She turned a little and Denise was in the background. She was struggling to get Rick’s and then Daryl’s boots off as they lay in a laughing heap on the bed._

 

Rick pinched the bridge of his nose. “Shit, please tell me they left after that.”

 

Daryl’s eyes went wide. “They fuckin’ better have.”

 

_“So basically, you guys were buying shots to celebrate our wedding. Thanks for that, by the way. Really though, one round would’ve been plenty, the other five or six weren’t necessary…”_

 

They exchanged a somewhat sickly glance and turned back to Rick’s phone.

 

_“...you guys were so freakin’ cute together, all snuggled up close. Anyway, Daryl, you said that you didn’t think anybody would ever want to marry you and Rick, you said that you’d marry him for sure. Daryl asked if you were proposing and you said hell yeah...so…here we are.”_

 

_Denise disappeared from the screen and it looked like she’d left the room. Behind Tara, they were struggling to stand up from the bed and then they were on their feet. Then they were wrapped so completely around each other there was only a tangle of arms and legs. Then they were tugging each other’s shirts off and hands and mouths were everywhere._

 

They exchanged another look and Rick briefly wondered if Daryl was even trying to hide that wicked gleam in his eye. Then they heard the clink of a belt buckle and their eyes snapped back to the phone just as Denise reappeared carrying Daryl’s duffel.

 

“How the hell…?” Daryl trailed off.

 

_“Oh, and that’s your stuff, Daryl. You made us stop by and get it because you were pretty adamant that you had to live with your new husband now,” she giggled and shrugged, “so yeah, I think it’s all in there. Make sure you go check out of your hotel in the morning.”_

 

“Aww, that’s sweet,” Rick said teasingly.

 

Daryl rolled his eyes. “Pssh, shut up man.”

 

_“Um...Tara...better hurry up, honey. We gotta go…” Denise._

 

Denise moved and Rick and Daryl stared open-mouthed. 

 

_Daryl’s back was to the camera and they couldn’t really see anything, but there wasn’t much left to the imagination when Daryl hit his knees. They could hear a muffled moan from Daryl, then a low groan from Rick as he threw his head back and grabbed a handful of Daryl’s hair._

 

Rick pressed pause again and looked over at Daryl, his eyebrow raised and a half smirk on his face. He was only half smiling because he was less than happy that he actually did get head from Daryl and didn’t remember it. Daryl smirked back and shrugged, then pressed play.

 

_“Okay...yeah...wow. Y’all are really eager...”_

 

_“Tara...honey…”_

 

_“Coming, babe.” She spoke much faster now. “So anyway there’s another video on Daryl’s phone you might wanna watch we gotta go it was so nice meeting you guys we wish you all the happiness.” She disappeared and Rick could be heard moaning louder, then her face reappeared, a little red now. “Best wedding night ever, guys. Seriously.”_

 

The screen went black, and both of their faces were almost as red as Tara’s. 

 

Rick was a little disappointed that she hadn’t left his phone on the dresser with the recorder running, to be honest.

 

“Shit, didn’t leave quick enough did they?” Daryl mumbled. 

 

He stood suddenly, nearly tipping his chair over and startling Rick. “Where’s my damn phone?” He went inside and reappeared only seconds later. Realizing that it wasn’t a voicemail alert after all, he finally found the video and they sat huddled over Daryl’s phone now. Again it was Tara’s face that appeared on the screen.

 

_“Alright guys, this is it. You’re sure you wanna do this, right? ‘Cause we’ll be glad to come back in the morning with you guys if you wanna wait.” Her eyes were glassy, cheeks flushed, and she wore a drunken grin._

 

_The camera turned to reveal the two of them standing in front of a small, well-lit building. They were leaning heavily on each other, Daryl’s arm looped through Rick’s, and Rick was certain it was mostly to keep them from falling._

 

_“Hell yesss, wanna marry thish man righ’ now,” Rick slurred. He pried his arm from Daryl’s grip and threw it sloppily around the other man’s shoulder, kissing him on the side of the head._

 

_“Fuck yeah, lesh do this,” Daryl slurred back._

 

_The camera turned to the outside of the building where “Chapel of Bliss” was spelled out in hot pink neon. Underneath in small neon lettering was “24 hours”._

 

_“Aww blish...ain’ tha’ schweet,” Daryl drawled._

 

_A dramatic, drunken sigh from Rick and then, “I love blish.”_

 

_The video cut out and when it came back on again, Rick and Daryl were standing side by side, swaying against each other to some kind of elevator music playing in the background. They were staring at each other and grinning like fools, then Daryl stood stock still and spoke._

 

_“Damn ya gossum blue eyes. Like, full on Prinsh Charmin’ shit righ’ there.” He grinned a full-on drunken, happy grin and started swaying slightly with Rick again._

 

_Then they were talking to Elvis._

 

Daryl pressed pause, maybe a little harder than necessary. “Elvis, Rick? Are ya fuckin’ kiddin’ me right now? We got married by Elvis?” Lord, he hoped Rick would be distracted by Elvis and they could ignore the fact that Daryl had basically called him Prince Charming. 

 

Rick shook his head. “I thought I remembered Elvis but I wasn’t sure.” He reached over and pressed play.

 

_Elvis - and the guy looked and sounded remarkably like the man - was asking them if they were sure they wanted him to perform the ceremony and not the voodoo priestess or the vampire._

 

“Guess Elvis was the better choice,” Rick said.

 

“Guess so,” Daryl answered.

 

_Elvis opened the double doors leading to the chapel proper and half walked, half be-bopped to the front. Once there he turned quickly, gyrating his hip and pointing dramatically to the organist - who did not play the organ. Instead with the push of a button, the sounds of “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” filled the chapel._

 

Daryl and Rick both rolled their eyes and Daryl scrubbed a hand over his face.

 

_They staggered down the aisle, Daryl taking Rick’s hand to pull him along as if he was impatient to get there, stopping just long enough to pluck a white flower of some sort from a vase and stick it behind his ear. When Rick finally caught up they were giggling like a couple of fools._

 

Or a couple of drunks. 

 

_Tara and Denise were behind them and at least one of them - presumably Tara - didn’t seem too steady on their own feet if the swaying of the camera was any indication._

 

_Then they were standing at the altar and Elvis asked, “Which one of you fellas is the...blushin’ bride?” He directed the question more to Daryl than Rick._

 

_“Ain’t neither one a me nor him a blushin’ nothin’!” Daryl nearly shouted._

 

_Rick patted Daryl’s arm and shushed him as Elvis held up his hands. “Cool man, had to ask. Some dudes want that.”_

 

And then they were watching themselves take their vows and get married. Like, for real get married. 

 

_Tara stood up for Rick and Denise stood up for Daryl, and they even handed them rings when the time came. Then they were being pronounced husband and husband, and Elvis told them they could kiss their hunka hunka burnin’ love._

 

_They both burst into giggles at that, but the way Daryl grasped Rick’s waist, and the way Rick cupped Daryl’s face in his hands and oh my Lord that kiss, you’d never know they’d only just met a few hours before._

 

_Tara and Denise were grinning like the couple of idiots Rick and Daryl clearly were as they walked back up the aisle to “Burning Love”, Daryl’s hand in the crook of Rick’s arm and the flower that was behind his ear now held firmly in his teeth by the stem. They were showering them with flower petals and shouts of “woohoo” and “yay” and they were all laughing like fools._

 

The video went dark for a few seconds and then it was back. 

 

_“Two weddings in one night! Woohoo!” Tara hollered. “And don’t worry guys, it’s all legal. Elvis in there is a JOP, Denise and I witnessed for you, so you are officially husband and husband. I told you it was obvious you two loved each other. You’re gonna be so happy together I just know it. Thank you so much for letting us be a part of it.”_

 

_She stopped and looked behind her when the unmistakable sound of retching could be heard. Rick would have appreciated it a lot if she had refrained from turning the camera to show his back - as he was leaned over into a bush emptying his stomach._

 

“I remember that,” Daryl said, pointing at the screen, side eyeing Rick and trying to hide a grin.

 

“Really, Daryl? _That’s_ what you remember about last night?” Rick asked, looking a little embarrassed. 

 

_Denise’s face appeared. “Poor guy. You’ll feel a lot better now, Rick. Ready for some wedding night looove .” She waggled her eyebrows._

 

_“Bow chica bow wow.” Tara sang in her best porn soundtrack voice. “Okay, we’re gonna make sure you guys get to your love nest, then we’re gonna make ourselves scarce. Happy Honeymoon!”_

 

They both waved into the camera then the video ended.

 

 

Rick and Daryl sat in silence for a few minutes, Rick staring out across the street and Daryl leaned over with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. 

 

Rick spoke first. “Did the aspirin help?” He knew it was a dumb question, but what the hell else was he supposed to say?

 

Daryl ground the heels of his hands into his eyes then lifted his head and looked at him, his face a blank slate. “Don’t think aspirin’s gonna help the kinda headache ya get from watchin’ yourself get drunk married by Elvis at the Chapel of Bliss to a guy ya just met.”

 

“Fair enough,” Rick nodded. It was another long minute before he spoke again. “Hunka hunka burnin’ love?”

 

“Ya jus’ had to, didn’t ya?” Daryl asked.

 

“Come on, Daryl,” Rick smiled at him, “it could be worse, right?”

 

“How? How could it be worse?” His voice pitched up a notch. “We were _staggerin’_ , Rick. And _gigglin’_ like a couple a little girls. I had a fuckin’ flower in my hair for fuck’s sake.”

 

Rick shrugged. “Well, we could’ve been married by a vampire or a voodoo priestess.” He pointed at Daryl’s phone. “Ya gotta admit, that’s a vacation story right there.”

 

He was smiling. Rick was actually smiling. How in the hell could he be so not bothered by this? He had no idea what there was to smile about right now. Was the man completely missing the _not okay_ part of all of this? He took a deep breath and let it go on a sigh. If he took a minute to think about it, he guessed maybe Rick had a point. It wasn’t the worse thing two drunk idiots had ever done, right? 

 

He knew they weren’t the first people who had ever done this, so surely it could be fixed. The fact that it was legal was a pain in the ass, but at least they hadn’t done something illegal. Sure he was thrown off balance, but it wasn’t really helping anything getting all bent out of shape about it. Before long he was grinning, too. 

 

“Yeah, ‘spose I should jus’ be glad ya didn’t knock me up on our weddin’ night,” he said dryly. “‘Bout that,” he continued, pointing to the blank phone screen, “that’s a story we prob’ly don’t ever need to tell, a’right? We can jus’ keep the details between us, yeah?”

 

“Alright,” Rick chuckled. “We’ll never speak of it again.” He stood and stretched his arms over his head. The aspirin and water had helped a little and he was suddenly starving. He turned to look at Daryl, and if the other man thought he looked away before Rick caught him staring at the spot where his shirt rode up, well, he was wrong. He’d think about that later, too.

 

“You hungry?” he asked.

 

“Fuckin’ starvin’, man. Need some scrambled eggs or somethin’.” Daryl rubbed his belly as he spoke.

 

“Alright, why don’t we shower and I’ll take you somewhere and feed you.” Rick offered.

 

“Feed me, huh? Think I can’t feed myself?” he asked with a smirk.

 

“What kind of husband would I be if I didn’t feed my husband?” Rick returned, feigning hurt or something like it.

 

Daryl rolled his eyes. “Million crazy people in this town an’ I married a fuckin’ cornball.” 

 

He studied Rick for a long minute. He didn’t know what he’d expected when they woke up this morning. He hadn’t expected to wake up married, that was for sure. He just thought Rick would be a little more upset, regretting it, taking it a little more seriously, something. He never expected he would act so...normal. It was annoying but he had to admit that it made him feel a little better about the situation. 

 

There was still the small matter of their predicament though.

 

“We still haven’t decided what to do about this.” He held up his left hand, his brow furrowing deeply as he stared at the ring that looked completely foreign on his finger. “Who the hell picked out these cheesy ass plastic rings anyway?”

 

Rick laughed softly, studying his own ring. “Probably one of the girls. I’ve got much better taste than this.”

 

“Oh my Lord,” Daryl moaned. “C’mon Rick, how do we fix this?” 

 

“All we have to do is get it annulled. Shouldn’t be that hard I wouldn’t think, seein’ as neither one of us even remember it,” he reasoned.

 

“Mmm,” Daryl hummed, then turned to look back inside the room towards the bed. “Didn’t think they did that if the marriage’d been...ya know...what’s that damn word?”

 

“Consummated?” Rick answered, hoping Daryl didn’t see the grin he was trying hard to prevent. 

 

“Yeah, that,” Daryl said. And did his face turn a little pink?

 

“Ain’t like we have to tell anybody,” Rick said. “I imagine two guys too drunk to remember gettin’ married were probably too drunk to consummate anything,” he shrugged.

 

Dary’s eyes got wide as he pretended to be shocked. “I’ll be damned. Ya tryna skirt around the law?”

 

“If we don’t remember it, can we swear it really happened?” Rick asked. 

 

Daryl couldn’t say why that thought disappointed him so much but he didn’t let it show. “Nah, guess not.” He suddenly wanted to change the subject. “I gotta go check outta my room ‘fore they charge me for another day. Ya shower while m’gone an’ I’ll grab one when I get back. Think m’only a block over so I won’t be gone long.”

 

“Alright, yeah. It won’t take me long.” Rick said. 

 

Another thought occurred to Daryl just then. “Shit. I...uh...need to rent a car or somethin’...to get back home. After we eat would ya mind takin’ me somewhere to get one?” 

 

Rick leaned back against the rail with his arms crossed and tilted his head to look at Daryl. 

 

“What?” Daryl asked.

 

Rick shook his head slowly. “Nah, I don’t mind takin’ you anywhere you need to go. Breakfast. Rental agency. Georgia.” When the other man only looked at him strangely he continued. “Daryl, we’re goin’ to the same place. Why don’t you just ride home with me?”

 

“Ya sure, man?” Daryl asked, not entirely sure if that would be a good idea.

 

A smile split Rick’s face and Daryl could swear he felt his heart flutter a little, but it also might have been a hunger pang. 

 

“Now what kinda husband would I be if I left my husband nearly five hundred miles from home to rent a car and get back on his own?”

 

“You’re an idiot, ya know that?” Daryl smirked. 

 

Rick held up his own left hand and laughed. “Yeah, I think we established that.”

 

Two hours later they had filled their bellies with bacon and eggs, toast and coffee and filled the truck with gas. Far less hungover now, the reluctant newlyweds left the Big Easy headed home to Georgia. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gneebee wanted our boys to meet in Vegas and get schmammered, get married by Elvis, and wake up spooned together. I really tried to make that happen but I immediately thought of Nut Hand by the amazing marooncamaro (if you haven’t read that one you really should remedy that as soon as you’re done here). No matter how I wrote it, it was too similar and I could never come close to that little gem anyway. So I sent our boys to New Orleans instead, where as it happens they do quickie weddings now.


	4. Kismet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's get our boys back to Georgia...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll say it again...thank you, thank you for the reads, sweet reviews and kudos! I love the love!
> 
> This chapter is a little shorter than the others. Just a little.

Merle stepped fully into the guest room and shut the door when they heard Rick come in, and Daryl looked at him in question.

 

“Don’t know if those gals want him seein’ ya or not.” He reached up and fiddled with the tie knotted around his neck. “Woman’s a’ready tried ta choke the life outta me, ain’t ‘bout ta give ‘er a reason ta finish the job.”

 

Daryl smiled and tried to produce something close to a quiet laugh, but he could never fool his brother and as usual, Merle didn’t miss a thing.

 

“Don’t know what yer so worked up for. Ain’t like it’s the first time ya done this.” His face split into a broad smile. “Would it help if ya had a flower fer yer hair or somethin’?” 

 

Daryl rolled his eyes and turned away from his brother muttering “fuck you, Merle” and was just about to resume his pacing when Merle spoke again.

 

“Daryl.” Daryl stopped and turned to face him. He rarely ever called him by his name and the serious tone was even more unusual. “Got somethin’ ta say an’ ya need ta listen, ‘cause I probl’y ain’t gonna ever say it agin.” He paused for a minute and Daryl couldn’t tell if he was choosing his words or gathering his courage. Probably both.

 

“Know I give y’all a lotta shit an’ that ain’t gonna change, but I want ya ta know m’real happy for ya. Hate what that other prick did to ya but it put ya where ya are an’ m’glad for that. Rick’s a good man an’ he treats ya right like ya deserve.” Daryl’s eyes widened. He was pretty sure that was the first time his brother had ever called Rick by his name and not ‘Friendly’. “Know he loves ya, more n’ I ever seen anybody love somebody I reckon, an’ he makes ya happy, an’ that makes me happy.”

 

“Yeah? Thanks, Merle.” Daryl said quietly, suddenly feeling every bit the little brother.

 

“Yer welcome,” Merle said, noticeably uncomfortable now. He cleared his throat. “Good thing too. Means I don’t hafta kick his ass.”

 

And the moment was over. 

 

“Ya figure out what yer gonna say yet?” he asked, smirk firmly in place now.

 

“I got no clue, man. Don’t know why they thought I could do this,” Daryl worried.

 

“Nah, ya got this. Ya love ‘im so jus’ say how ya feel. Jus’ don’t ask me ta talk, ‘cause that ain’t gonna go like y’all think,” Merle warned.

 

Daryl did smile at that and he couldn’t disagree. Merle was like the drunk uncle at a Christmas party even when he was sober. He would guarantee that wouldn’t go well at all.

 

“‘Sides,” Merle continued with a wave of his hand as he walked to the door. “Friendly ain’t gonna care what ya say. Prob’ly already got his mind on y’all’s hon-ey-moon,” he enunciated the word slowly and with plenty of innuendo.

 

He left the room and closed the door behind him, leaving Daryl to wonder for the millionth time what Rick had up his sleeve. He figured whatever it was it couldn’t be as bad as their last road trip. Not that that one had been bad really, just not the best circumstances. He’d be lying if he said the curiosity wasn’t killing him, but he’d also be lying if he said he really cared where they went. As long as he was with Rick it didn’t matter.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

_One year ago…_

 

 

Daryl had been nervous about riding back with Rick. Six hours stuck in a truck with a virtual stranger that he had intended to sleep with but had accidentally married instead, well, that was bound to be a little tense, right?

 

It wasn’t. They didn’t talk a lot but Daryl still figured it was more than he had ever said to anybody at one time in his whole life. Like the night before, their intermittent conversations were about anything and nothing and he thought Rick might just be the easiest person to talk to that he’d ever met. And he listened. Listened like he hung on Daryl’s every word and really cared about what he had to say.

 

Even the silences were surprisingly comfortable and ultimately Daryl was glad he didn’t have to make the trip alone. 

 

His eyes might have occasionally wandered to Rick’s lean, muscular legs splayed open on the passenger’s seat. He may have been having a tough time not watching Rick’s fingers tap out a rhythm to the music on his jean-clad thigh. So what if he had to double his efforts at keeping his eyes on the road? Shit happens and it sure beat any of the scenery passing by.

 

Rick was glad Daryl had agreed to ride back with him. He wasn’t much of a talker but he found he kind of liked that. Lori was always yammering on about something and it was nice to spend time with somebody who didn’t feel like he had to fill every silence with unnecessary words. He was learning that he was smart, he was funny without trying to be, but mostly he was just real. There didn’t seem to be one thing fake about him and Rick appreciated that.

 

They had agreed to split the driving although he didn’t think it was necessary. Well, Rick had agreed after Daryl had more or less stared him into submission but that was beside the point. The point was, Daryl looked completely at home behind the wheel of his truck, like he belonged there, but he thought it best not to examine that thought too closely right now.

 

He was trying hard not to stare at Daryl as he drove. Because seriously, the sleeves were ripped out of his button-up - probably too tight on those damn arms, and with the Raybans and his hair either curled around his face or sticking out wildly from underneath his worn trucker hat, well, he couldn’t help examining that very closely. 

 

Fortunately, the ride had been pleasant so far and there was none of the expected awkward tension. That other kind of tension, though? Yeah, that tension was thick in the cab of that truck.

 

 

Halfway home they decided to switch drivers and they both needed a bathroom, so Daryl had left the highway and pulled into the gravel lot of a mom and pop gas station somewhere in Alabama.

 

Things might have gotten a little awkward then. For a few minutes anyway.

 

They were waiting in line when Rick’s phone rang and he’d gone outside to answer it. Daryl watched him through the front window as he paid for bottles of water and the Orange Crush and chocolate bars he was suddenly craving. 

 

He was standing beside the truck, one minute talking animatedly, the next smiling fondly as he listened. Daryl wouldn’t deny he was curious but he reminded himself that it was none of his business as he took the bag and left the store. When he got to the truck the call had ended and Rick had a strange look on his face.

 

“Everythin’ okay?” Daryl asked.

 

“Yeah, everything’s fine. That was Carl. I know I should have thought about it before but I have to figure out how to tell him about this.” He raised his left hand and pointed between the two of them.

 

Daryl suddenly felt like he had done something really, really wrong. “Carl? Who the hell’s Carl, Rick? The hell have ya done?” Daryl practically hissed.

 

The sudden change in Daryl’s demeanor threw him off until he realized how that had sounded. “Wait, Daryl, no. It’s not what you’re thinkin’,” Rick tried to explain.

 

“What? What’m I thinkin’? That ya got somebody waitin’ on ya that probl’y ain’t gonna appreciate ya bringin’ a new husband home? Thought ya said ya were single?” he said in a harsh whisper.

 

“I am. Well, I was...until...anyway, Carl’s my son.”

 

Daryl leveled him with a look that made Rick feel like he’d sprouted another head.

 

“Oh, well then. M’not a homewrecker after all...jus’ a stepdad, Rick,” Daryl threw up his hands and he’d started to pace again.

 

Okay, Rick would admit he hadn’t thought about it quite like that.

 

“Fuck, I’m sorry, Daryl. I know I should’ve told you but in my defense, it caught me a little off-guard to wake up married this mornin’,” Rick said.

 

Daryl breathed out a heavy sigh. “I know, ain’t your fault, man. Jus’ can’t imagine your kid’s gonna be too crazy ‘bout the idea of a surprise daddy is all.” Now he was pacing and chewing his thumbnail.

 

“I doubt he’ll think of it that way, he’s fourteen,” Rick said.

 

“Oh good. A moody teenager that’ll hate me,” Daryl shot back sarcastically. 

 

Rick had to wonder why Daryl was worried that he had a kid or that Carl would hate him or the idea of a surprise daddy since they were getting this annulled and all, but he filed that away with everything else.

 

He smiled that fond smile again and shrugged. “Nah, he won’t hate you. He’s pretty easy goin’ for a moody teenager so not much ruffles him usually. He mostly lets stuff roll off his back. It’s actually pretty annoyin’ sometimes.”

 

Daryl gave Rick a narrowed side eye at the same time that he took off his hat and ran his fingers roughly through his hair, making a delicious mess of it before replacing the hat.

 

“Ya don’t say,” Daryl deadpanned.

 

See? That. That right there. The walking around naked and wearing his pants half off and all that hair ruffling and squinty glares that he didn’t think Daryl realized were more sexy than scary, the being funny when he wasn’t trying to be. Rick was pretty sure if he’d stop doing shit like that he could think clearly enough to mention he had a kid.

 

Finally, Rick smiled and Daryl nodded as he opened the passenger door and put the bag on the front seat. Rick was rounding the front of the truck when Daryl’s phone went off. He climbed behind the wheel and stared out the window, trying not to listen but it was impossible not to with Daryl standing right beside the open door.

 

“Hey Abe...nah m’headed home now, what’s up?...He workin’ a notice?...Sorry man but it don’t surprise me...Gotta say m’glad, wasn’t lookin’ forward to workin’ with the sumbitch anyway…M’gonna tell him to get his shit an’ get the fuck out tha’s what...shoulda done it a long time ago...it was a’right, little crazy, not much my kinda thing...nah, m’good...see ya Monday.”

 

Daryl climbed in the passenger’s side and had shut the door and fastened his seatbelt before he realized Rick was staring at him with his head tilted and an eyebrow raised.

 

“What?” Daryl asked.

 

“I wasn’t tryin’ to eavesdrop but I couldn’t help but hear part of that. I’m not gonna pull up in your driveway and get my ass handed to me am I?” Rick asked.

 

Daryl looked genuinely confused until he realized what Rick meant. “Nah. Hell no.” He took his sunglasses off and tossed them up on the dash, then scrubbed a hand over his face. “When I went out there to work couple a weeks ago, I’s livin’ with a guy. Found out the day after I got there he’s been fuckin’ somebody else, prob’ly for a while.” He shrugged one shoulder. “Far as I’m concerned, it was over soon as I found out. When I told ya I’s single, I was.”

 

Rick immediately felt a pang of sympathy for the other man. “I’m sorry. I know how that feels.” Was all he said. 

 

Daryl looked at him for a long minute then asked, “That why you’re divorced?” He wasn’t sure what made him think it would be okay to ask Rick such a personal question, but he figured he’d either answer it or he’d tell him it was none of his business.

 

Rick shrugged. “Would’ve probably gone that way anyway, but yeah, that was the final nail in the coffin.” 

 

He despised a cheater, but what surprised him was that it was more than just empathy he felt for Daryl. The thought of somebody hurting him like that pissed him off. He put that away for now, too. 

 

He would never have imagined having this conversation in the parking lot of a Stop n’ Git in the middle of Alabama, let alone with someone he’d known less than twenty-four hours but that didn’t stop him from telling it anyway.

 

He stared through the windshield as he spoke. “There at the end, it seemed like everythin’ I did was wrong, and she was the one sleepin’ with somebody else. Right after I found out and asked for a divorce, she found out he was married and she didn’t stand a chance with him. It was a mess.” He looked over at Daryl. “Come to think of it, it was some guy from your neck of the woods. High school coach...Nieman? Negus?...”

 

“Negan?” Daryl offered.

 

Rick’s eyes got wide. “Yeah, that’s it. Let me guess, you know him?”

 

“Nah, if he was somebody I knew I’d beat his ass into the ground. Know of him though. Shitbag’s got a thing for screwin’ ‘round with married women. He’s got his own wife but likes to have every other man’s old lady, too. Think he jus’ likes knowin’ he can talk ‘em into his bed. Word is he goes for women that ain’t happy,” he looked over at Rick and then shrugged as he continued, “acts like he’s their savior or somethin’.” When Rick didn’t say anything he went on. “He was a baseball coach over at the high school, got caught bullyin’ his players, talkin’ real shit to ‘em. ‘Nother thing I’d kick his ass for. Anyway after that, they found out ‘bout all those affairs. Shoulda fired him ya ask me, but I hear he’s a real charmin’ sumbitch. So instead, they bumped him down to ping pong coach.”

 

Rick honestly tried not to but he burst out laughing anyway. He finally got himself under control enough to make sure he’d heard that right. “You’re shittin’ me, right? A ping pong coach? I didn’t even know that was a high school sport.” And he was laughing again, wondering if it made him a terrible person because hearing that took a little of the sting out of Lori’s infidelity.

 

“Guess so,” Daryl shrugged. “When his wife found out ‘bout all them other women she chased him out the house an’ down the street with his own baseball bat, threatenin’ to bash his head in an’ shit. Cops got called, it got real ugly.” He was reaching for his glasses when his phone started blaring Motorhead from the seat between them. 

 

He dropped the glasses with an irritated sigh. “Dammit, s’my brother,” he said and answered the call. “What?...m’halfway home now, should be there in a few hours, why?...ya don’t gotta meet me at the house, ‘less ya jus’ miss me...fuck you too, Merle...should be home ‘round six or seven....”

 

Again Rick stared out the window trying to give Daryl some semblance of privacy, but the name Merle got his attention. He’d heard that name before. He picked up the marriage certificate lying on the seat between them and looked at Daryl’s name again. _Dixon_. Merle Dixon, why was that…? Oh shit.

 

“...hey tell Carol I got somethin’ for Sophia...jus’ some necklace I bought from an old lady. Don’t even know why I did but I figure she’ll prob’ly like it. A’right...m’hangin’ up, man,” and Daryl ended the call.

 

He looked over to see Rick drumming the fingers of one hand on the steering wheel, while the fingers of his other hand tapped out an inconsistent rhythm on his thigh. He couldn’t help thinking the other man seemed nervous all of a sudden.

 

“Ya a’right, man?” he asked.

 

Rick pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a quiet sigh. If he’d thought that telling Daryl they were married was going to be hard, how in the hell was he supposed to tell him that he’d arrested his brother once? Well, not actually arrested, but he didn’t think that small detail was going to matter much.

 

“That was your brother?” he asked tentatively.

 

“Yeah,” Daryl answered.

 

“His name’s Merle?” Rick looked over at Daryl.

 

“Yeah, why?” Daryl narrowed his eyes, not sure where this was going.

 

“I...uh…”

 

“Ya what, man? Jus’ say it.”

 

“I might have...um...arrested him once,” he half mumbled, looking out the window to avoid eye contact. 

 

“Ya might have...wait, what? You’re a damn cop? An’ ya arrested my brother?” Daryl pulled off the shades he’d just put back on and threw up his hands, breathing a heavy sigh.

 

“Not actually arrested. We were goin’ to, but it was just a d&d and he’d never been in trouble in our town before...so,” he shrugged, “I let him spend the night in a holdin’ cell to sleep it off instead of chargin’ him.”

 

“If ya know my brother, ya know he’s got a record an’ he don’t care too much for cops. Probably gonna get mouthy an’ have a few choice words when he finds out I drunk married one. ‘Specially one that arrested him,” Daryl said more calmly than he was feeling.

 

“Not arrested. Detained.” Rick clarified as if that would make it better. “Besides, everythin’ on his record is minor stuff, it’s not like he’s a hardened criminal or anythin’.” He smiled to himself. “I do remember he was a little...mouthy. Although he had a few more choice words for Shane than he did for me but...”

 

“Rick!” Daryl cut him off and sighed heavily. “Wait, King County. Not quite two years ago?” he asked.

 

Rick nodded. “Sounds about right.”

 

Daryl’s shoulders sagged and he looked relieved. “Was the last time he got locked up. Got clean after that.” He wore a smirk on his face now. “You’re Officer Friendly.”

 

It took Rick a minute but then he remembered. “Yeah, that’s what he kept callin’ me.”

 

“Ya might get lucky then, he actually said good shit ‘bout ya. Good as it gets with Merle, anyway. Didn’t have much good to say ‘bout your partner though. Called him every sumbitch in the book.”

 

Rick chuckled. “Yeah, Shane can be a little...abrasive.”

 

“An asshole,” Daryl said.

 

“Okay, an asshole,” Rick said, almost laughing. He suddenly remembered something else Daryl had said. “You...uh...you mentioned Carol and Sophia. Is that Carol Peletier?”

 

“Fuck’s sake, ya know them, too? Seriously, Rick?” Daryl shook his head in disbelief. How the hell did they have all these people in common and he’d never met this man?

 

“She lived in King County for years before she moved into her grandma’s house in Walkertown. Shane and I were the ones that arrested Ed that last time,” he shrugged.

 

Daryl shifted in his seat to face Rick more fully. “How’s it we know so many of the same people an’ we never met before? Anythin’ else I should know? I mean ya did forget to mention ya got a kid an’ that you’re a cop. How fuckin’ drunk were ya, man?”

 

Rick buckled his seatbelt and started the truck. “About as drunk as you were,” he said, pointing to the paper laying on the seat.

 

“Fuck, man, this is a mess. How’re we s’posed to tell all these people we’re married an’ we never even met? The hell’re they gonna think ‘bout us now?” Daryl demanded, his voice laced with an edge of panic.

 

“It ain’t a mess. Well, not one that can’t be fixed. We don’t have to tell anybody if you don’t want. I told you we’ll just get it annulled, no big deal.” Rick reasoned.

 

“Ya got drunk an’ married a man ya don’t even know,” Daryl explained it a little more slowly as if Rick really didn’t understand what they’d done. “What if I’d been a serial killer? I coulda been plannin’ to pick ya up at that bar an’ dump your body somewhere, an’ ya think it ain’t a big deal? You’re a cop, ya should know better!” Daryl narrowed his eyes at Rick when he tried to hide a smile. He thought he just might smack him if he didn’t start getting a little worked up over all of this.

 

“Are you a serial killer? Were you plannin’ on killin’ me?” Rick asked, concerned that Daryl was getting so upset but amused at the same time.

 

“Hell no, I was jus’ gonna…” Daryl trailed off and Rick could swear he saw his cheeks turn a little pink.

 

“And I was just gonna, too. So it’s not a big deal, calm down, Daryl. I’ll call my lawyer Monday mornin’ and find out what we have to do to fix it and it’ll be done.” Rick assured him.

 

Daryl turned and stared out the window as Rick put the truck in gear and pulled away. That was the problem right there. He didn’t want it to just be done. Well, the drunk marriage, yeah. But he didn’t want him and Rick to be done. He just had no idea how to go about telling him that after all of this.

 

Rick pulled out onto the two-lane in the direction of the highway. He looked over and watched Daryl situate himself into a more comfortable position, slouched a little sideways with his foot resting on the dash. He had his phone in his hand and Rick almost laughed when he saw that he was playing Candy Crush of all things. 

 

Two hours later the nervous tension was gone and Daryl seemed at ease again. He had abandoned his game in favor of Orange Crush and a chocolate bar and as he ate, he broke off every other bite to feed to Rick as they crossed the state line into Georgia.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	5. Enlightenment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're home. Now all that's left is for Rick to drop Daryl off at his house. Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the reads, kudos and kind words. The love makes me happy. :)

Rick drove up the long driveway to the farm and pulled into the yard, parking behind Merle’s truck. He turned his truck off but didn’t immediately get out, taking a minute to gather himself. He looked out towards the barn where the side yard was decorated for the wedding.

 

It wasn’t a wedding really, more of a _recommitment ceremony_ , Maggie had called it. They were already married and today was their first anniversary. Their family and friends had missed it the first time, obviously, so Annette had partly begged but mostly guilted them into letting her do this to mark the occasion. Of course, they hadn’t been able to tell her no. 

 

They’d both insisted they didn’t see the need for it, but Rick couldn’t deny he was glad they’d done it. He’d decided a long time ago he was perfectly okay with the way they’d come to be and he wouldn’t change it for anything. They were able to look back and laugh about it now. Even so, there were times he wished he’d given Daryl this instead. He deserved this.

 

He smiled as he thought about Ms. Octavia again. It had taken a while but he’d finally let himself believe that she might have had a hand in this. As he watched all the people they had both known for years he thought about all of the missed opportunities. Cookouts, birthday parties, graduations or holidays they’d both been invited to that one would attend and the other would miss because of work or some other obligation. Now, he liked to think that maybe the universe had gotten tired of waiting for two idiots to figure it out, so it had recruited a sweet old woman on a streetcar to make it happen. 

 

He watched the people they loved most in the world milling about, taking care of last minute details. Carl had spent last night here as well so he could help with tables and chairs and whatever else needed to be done. It was nothing fancy, they’d both insisted on that. The tables were just several picnic tables lined up end to end. The altar was the same one Hershel and Otis had built for Maggie and Glenn’s wedding, and the few chairs they needed were borrowed from the church.

 

He looked at his watch to see that it was ten thirty. Whether they let him see Daryl or not he guessed it was time he went inside. He got out and walked toward the house where Annette was waiting for him on the porch smiling broadly. He spared one more glance at the people scattered over the lawn and almost laughed out loud when he remembered that day a year ago when they’d figured out they already shared a family, and how that family had figured out that they all shared the two of them. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

_One year ago..._

 

The closer they got to their exit the more Daryl’s nerves were threatening to get the best of him and he wasn’t sure why. He was only a little worried that his brother and the people they both knew were going to somehow find out what a couple of dumbasses they really were. Rick would have to tell his son because he wasn’t going to let him keep anything from his kid. He figured everybody else was easy enough. Don’t tell them and they won’t know. 

 

He was worried that Martinez would be at the house when they pulled up. He had no reason to think he wouldn’t be and for the first time since they’d moved in together, he found himself hoping he was off spending his time at a bar with his friends. Not that it would matter much if he was there, he was going to tell him to get the fuck out. He just didn’t want Rick to feel uncomfortable or get stuck in the middle.

 

Mostly it was something he wasn’t sure he wanted to acknowledge because it didn’t make sense to him given that he’d just met Rick. He knew they still had to fix what they’d done, but what if Rick decided to have his lawyer get in touch with him and this was the last he’d ever see of him? What if once it was fixed Rick decided that was that? He almost found it laughable that he could marry the guy and sleep with him but he was too chickenshit to ask him out. He almost wished he had a little of that same liquid courage he’d had last night.

 

Without a doubt, he sucked at this a lot worse than he’d originally thought, and maybe that’s how he’d ended up with Martinez to begin with.

 

 

Rick had been watching Daryl from the corner of his eye the closer they got to home. He may not know him well but it was easy to tell when he was nervous or upset. He obviously couldn’t pace, but his knee was bouncing a mile a minute and he’d been chewing on his thumb for a couple of miles now.

 

He hated to see him so worked up over this and he finally did what he’d wanted to do several times already. He reached over and took Daryl’s hand, pulling it away from his mouth and laying it gently on his leg but firmly enough to stop it from bouncing before withdrawing his hand and resting it on his own thigh.

 

Daryl looked over at him briefly and Rick had no idea what to say. He wasn’t sure Daryl wanted him to say anything if the way he turned back to stare out the window was any indication. The truth was he was starting to feel a little anxious himself. Mostly about telling Carl, because he didn’t feel right keeping something like this from him and he was sure Daryl was the kind of person that would understand that. What he’d said to Daryl was true, though. More likely than not Carl would roll his eyes and mumble “nice job, dad”, laugh at him and walk off.

 

He’d also meant what he said about not telling anybody else if Daryl didn’t want to. They all knew him well enough to know this was completely out of character for him, and he had an idea that if anything they would all find it funny and he’d be the butt of a ton of bad jokes for a while. He was starting to think that’s what Daryl was worried about, being the butt of those bad jokes as well. He didn’t know why he thought so, but he got the feeling that wouldn’t sit well with the other man.

 

He sighed quietly. If he was honest, what he was the most worried about was dropping Daryl off at his house and never seeing him again. He knew he should just ask him out but that was proving easier said than done. He might say no and that’s exactly what he didn’t want to hear. He couldn’t explain it and he knew it didn’t make sense. Shit, nothing had made much sense to him since he’d sat with that old woman on the streetcar.

 

He smiled softly to himself when that old tune danced across his thoughts, “...what a long, strange trip it’s been”. At this point, he felt like that streetcar had taken him straight into the Twilight Zone. He shook himself from his thoughts as he left the highway at the exit for Walkertown and stopped at the top of the ramp.

 

“Which way?” he asked. When Daryl still stared out the window and didn’t answer he asked again. “Daryl, which way?” The other man finally turned to face him.

 

“Huh?” He looked around and realized where they were. “Sorry, man. Left, then three lights up and make a right,” he said distractedly. Rick looked at him for a beat before he pulled off and Daryl really hoped Rick was right when he said, “It’ll be fine, it’ll all work out.”

 

Rick hadn’t been to Walkertown in a while, but it was still familiar to him as Daryl directed him through the small town. The further they went it started to become more familiar and he realized why when Daryl finally had him pull up and park in front of his house. He was parked directly across the street from what he was sure was Glenn and Maggie’s house and a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. He wondered how well Daryl knew his neighbors.

 

“That’s Glenn and Maggie’s place isn’t it?” he asked, pointing across the street. 

 

Daryl whipped his head around to stare at Rick, although he guessed he shouldn’t be surprised. King County wasn’t much bigger than this town so of course he knew the Greenes. Everybody in King County knew the Greenes. Still, he hadn’t been expecting it. He nodded at Rick.

 

“So you know the Greenes, too?” Rick asked.

 

“Yeah. Knew ‘em ‘fore I moved in here.” Daryl answered, pointing vaguely towards his house. “When I moved to town I needed a job. Met Maggie at the diner when she was workin’ there. Her an’ Beth talked to their daddy an’ he put me to work fixin’ up their barn, new roof and all. Later on, Hershel recommended me to Abe. Been close with ‘em ever since jus’ haven’t made it out to see ‘em in a while.”

 

“Yeah,” Rick laughed lightly, “sounds like them.”

 

“Pssh, all three a them women been mother hennin’ me ever since,” Daryl said. 

 

Rick smiled fondly and nodded. “That sounds like them, too.” Rick’s own mama had been gone for several years and he knew well how smothering and absolutely wonderful Annette Greene’s mothering could be. Daryl might have tried to sound put out, but he had a feeling he felt the same way. 

 

Their attention was drawn back across the street when the front door to the old Craftsman home opened and the Rhees walked out and down the steps, coming their way as both men got out of the truck. Daryl was studying his own house closely and was distracted when Maggie and Glenn walked up, a look of confusion on both of their faces before Maggie’s broke out in a broad smile.

 

“Hey Rick!” she exclaimed and practically flung herself at him, wrapping him in a hug.

 

Rick laughed and hugged her back, barely managing to get in a “Hey there, sweetheart” before she pried herself loose. She walked around the truck to Daryl as Rick turned to shake hands with Glenn.

 

They watched as she gave Daryl a big hug and said, “Aww sweetie, I’m so sorry.”

 

Daryl gave her a one armed hug and replied, “Pssh. Don’t be. Think we all knew it was jus’ a matter a time.”

 

She pulled back and gave him a questioning look, then looked over at Rick. “I didn’t know ya knew Rick. Why didn’t ya tell me? How’d y’all meet?”

 

Daryl looked at Rick like he’d just noticed him standing there with Glenn and sidestepped her question.

 

“He home?” he asked, hooking a thumb towards the house. Martinez usually parked his bike behind the house, so its absence in the driveway told him nothing but Maggie only looked surprised.

 

“Merle didn’t tell ya? He was supposed to call ya.” she said.

 

“Yeah, he called. What didn’t he tell me?” He suddenly didn’t have a good feeling about this.

 

Before she could answer they heard the distinct sound of Merle’s beat up old pickup and turned to see him pull up and park behind Rick’s truck, the motor sputtering as he turned it off. The rusted door screeched on its hinges as he stepped out and again when he closed it and Daryl visibly cringed even as he wondered why he wasn’t on his bike.

 

“Fuck, Merle. When ya gonna get that piece a shit fixed?” he grumbled. He didn’t get an answer though because Merle was staring at Rick. Recognition dawned on his face and he walked over to where he stood. Shit.

 

“Well well, if it ain’t Officer Friendly!” His voice boomed and he wore a broad smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. He looked Rick up and down warily as he came to a stop barely a foot from him. “The hell brings ya ta our neck o’ the woods, officer? Can’t be here ta arrest me agin’, so what, ya jus’ miss me?” and he cackled loudly.

 

“Merle!” Daryl snapped. “He didn’t even arrest ya, ya ass.”

 

Merle turned to look at his brother and then back to Rick, who was looking at Daryl, and his eyes widened when it clicked.

 

“Well now ain’t this interestin’?” He leaned an elbow on the hood of Rick’s truck, grinning like the cat that got the canary. He looked from Daryl to Rick again and rubbed a hand over the scruffy beard on his chin. “Now how y’all reckon these two know each other?” He looked back at Daryl and raised an eyebrow, earning a glare from his brother.

 

“Yeah, ya never said how y’all know each other,” Maggie said.

 

“Yeah little brother, how’d ya come ta know Friendly here? Ain’t went an’ got yerself inta trouble have ya?” Merle asked, jerking a thumb towards Rick.

 

They were all looking at Daryl waiting for him to answer. He’d started chewing on the inside of his lip and Rick could tell he had no idea what to say so he spoke up.

 

“I was in New Orleans for a conference. We happened to be in the same bar last night and got to talking.” He shrugged like it was no big deal. “Realized we were from practically the same place, knew some of the same people. He mentioned rentin’ a car and I offered him a ride home. Seemed to make more sense so here we are.”

 

Daryl relaxed a little, but only a little. While he was relieved that Rick had made it sound like nothing, he had to admit there was a part of him that wasn’t entirely happy that he’d made it sound like nothing, even though that’s pretty much what it was at this point. He should have known that relief would be short lived. 

 

Merle turned to look at Daryl again, one corner of his mouth ticked up like it did whenever he knew something Daryl didn’t necessarily want him to know.

 

“Same bar, huh?” He was full-on smiling now and Daryl wanted to deck him. Merle knew what had happened a handful of times in the past when he’d met a guy in a bar and he really hoped his brother would keep his big mouth shut.

 

“Yeah, Merle, in a bar. So fuckin’ what?” He suddenly remembered what Maggie had said and changed the subject. “What was ya s’posed to tell me when ya called that ya didn’t tell me?”

 

Merle’s whole demeanor changed and he looked serious now. “I hate ta be the one ta tell ya, little brother...”

 

“Ya don’t hate to tell me nothin, Merle, so jus’ say it,” Daryl said through gritted teeth, his patience wearing thin.

 

Merle sighed heavily. “Yer boy Caesar called me an’ said ta tell ya he broke the lease an’ moved out, told the landlord ya’d left the state. Landlord said somebody had forty-eight hours ta git yer shit outta the house ‘fore he changes the locks, so I came ta help ya git yer shit. Ya can stay with me til ya find a place.”

 

Daryl looked like the wind had been knocked out of him for about a half second before he slapped a hand against the side of Rick’s truck, swore under his breath and walked off down the sidewalk. He got as far as the end of his yard and started pacing more furiously than Rick had seen so far. He couldn’t help it, his heart went out to the other man.

 

He wanted to tell himself it was a bad idea but he probably wouldn’t have listened to himself anyway. His wheels were already spinning.

 

A few minutes later Daryl had stalked past them towards the house. He seemed resigned, saying only that he was ready to get this over with.

 

The others moved to follow but Rick held up a hand and looked at each of them. They gave him a strange look but stayed behind as he followed Daryl to the house. The other man had made it as far as the tall oak by the porch when Rick caught up to him. 

 

“Hey,” he said softly. “You okay?” 

 

Daryl whirled around and nearly glared until he saw it was Rick and his face softened, but only a little. Now he stared at him like he’d never seen him before. “Oh m’fine. Woke up this mornin’ hungover an’ married to a guy I don’t know, get home to find out I ain’t got a home ‘cause the sumbitch that fucked ‘round on me up an’ canceled the lease. Now I gotta go back to livin’ with my brother. I miss anythin’? Yeah, Rick, m’doin’ great.”

 

“Well when you put it that way I guess that was kind of a dumb question,” Rick said, feeling like an idiot for even asking.

 

Daryl started to agree but held his tongue. He reminded himself that none of this was Rick’s fault. He sighed heavily. “S’fine,” was all he said.

 

His thumb went to his mouth as he looked up at Rick and he immediately brought his hand back down to stick it in his pocket, earning a small, warm smile from the other man. Daryl couldn’t figure out what it was about this guy. One minute he made him a bundle of nerves, the next his very presence made him feel calm and relaxed. He’d never met him before last night but felt like he’d known him for as long as he’d known the people they had in common. 

 

“Bein’ honest, I prob’ly woulda moved anyway. Never liked bein’ smack in the middle of Beaver Cleaverville anyway. Worst part is havin’ to stay with Merle til I find another place,” Daryl grumbled.

 

Rick looked over his shoulder to see Merle deep in conversation with the other two then back at Daryl. “You and your brother don’t get along?”

 

“Get along fine so long as we don’t have to live together. Put us under the same roof it’s a diff’rent story. Know he’s gonna try an’ talk me into stayin’, too.” He pulled his hat off and scrubbed his fingers through his hair, like he had earlier, then plopped the hat back on his head.

 

Rick studied Daryl for a minute seeing how miserable he suddenly looked and he hoped he wasn’t about to make a huge mistake. He really was doing it to help out a guy that he’d grown pretty fond of pretty quickly, but he also acknowledged, if only to himself, that a small part of him was doing it for selfish reasons. He took a deep breath and gathered what nerve he could muster.

 

“You could come stay with me until you find somethin’.” He held his breath and steeled himself for Daryl’s reaction. 

 

Daryl stood stock still, staring at him blankly. The seconds stretched into minutes and Rick was starting to think he’d ruined everything with his mostly innocent offer when Daryl finally said something.

 

Except all he said was “Why?” with a shake of his head and a clearly confounded look on his face.

 

“Why not?” Rick shrugged. “You need a place to stay. I’ve got a spare room. You don’t want to stay with your brother and I think we’ve gotten along pretty well so far. So why not?”

 

Daryl could only stare at him. He had no idea what in the hell Rick was thinking but surely he couldn’t think this was a good idea. How could any good come from him moving in with Rick, even if it was temporary? 

 

On the other hand…

 

If he was staying with Rick that kind of solved the whole not seeing him again thing, didn’t it? And he had to admit Rick had a point; he most definitely did not want to stay with Merle, and they had gotten along pretty well so far. If that changed he could always leave. Still.

 

He crossed his arms over his chest. “How’m I s’posed to explain to Merle why I’m stayin’ with somebody I jus’ met instead a him all of a sudden?” he asked.

 

Rick shrugged. “Just tell him you think it’d be best if you were somewhere other than around here until all this blows over,” he said, motioning to the house behind Daryl.

 

“Maybe,” Daryl said with narrowed eyes. “How’re ya gonna explain me bein’ there to your kid?” 

 

Rick didn’t miss a beat. “I’m probably going to have to tell him what happened anyway. I’ll just tell him you needed a place to stay and I offered. I’ve raised him to always help when he can so I doubt he’ll think anything of it.”

 

Rick watched Daryl closely and could practically see his wheels spinning, weighing his options. A small part of him completely understood his reluctance, but the bigger part really wanted him to say yes. He didn’t know where it came from or where he found the extra nerve all of a sudden. All he knew was that there was no way he could let Daryl walk away without at least trying, even if he couldn’t explain why.

 

“For what it’s worth, Daryl, when we were at the bar...and when I found out we lived so close...I was goin’ to ask you if you’d want to see me again when we got home. No matter how last night turned out.”

 

Daryl had been staring at the ground and now his head snapped up and he looked at Rick. He studied his face, trying to gauge how sincere he really was but what he saw in his eyes caught him completely off guard. It was hope. Rick looked hopeful and Daryl wasn’t sure what to think because he hadn’t ever had anyone look at him that way before, let alone a guy like Rick. He was actually hoping that he’d say yes. 

 

He nodded slowly, “Yeah. Yeah, I would...wanna see ya again I mean. I’s hopin’ we could...that you’d...thought maybe this whole mess,” he motioned between the two of them “had fucked it all up.”

 

Rick released a breath and smiled. “I was afraid maybe it had, too.”

 

The corner of Daryl’s mouth ticked up in a smirk. “Ya wanted to see me again so ya thought ya needed to get me drunk, club me over the head and drag me to the altar to make that happen?” 

 

Rick tried to look shocked and leaned in, dropping his voice. “Accordin’ to that video you were the one draggin’ me to the altar, Captain Caveman.”

 

Daryl actually laughed out loud at that and Rick made a mental note to make that happen as often as possible. It was a really nice sound.

 

“Jus’ so we’re clear here, we meant to pick each other up in a bar for sex an’ accident’lly got married instead. Now we’re gonna get a divorce so ya can move me in an’ date me. Sound ‘bout right?” Daryl clarified.

 

Rick flashed him a smile. “Not sure, you never answered me. You want that spare room or not?”

 

Daryl fought the grin that threatened to split his face as he stared at Rick. He felt so relieved that for a second he didn’t even know how to answer him which he fully realized was stupid, it was a simple yes or no question after all.

 

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Yeah, I want it. Thanks, man.” He ducked his head and looked back up at Rick.

 

“Good, ‘cause what kind of husband would I be if I didn’t put a roof over my husband’s head?” He cocked his head and shot Daryl a heart-stopping smile. 

 

Daryl huffed out a laugh as he stepped around Rick to go deliver the news to Merle and muttered, “Good Lord you’re an idiot.”

 

“Yeah,” Rick drawled and turned to follow him, letting out a quiet sigh of relief. That had gone much better than he’d expected.

 

 

Less than an hour later everything Daryl owned was in the back of Rick’s truck. It wasn’t much, mostly a few clothes, camping, fishing and hunting gear, and the few toiletries he had. They packed the food Martinez had left behind into two coolers. Daryl sent some of the game out of the freezer home with Merle despite the fact that he’d bitched and grumbled the whole time. 

 

_“Mean ta tell me ya’d rather live with somebody ya don’t know than yer own brother?”_

 

_“Know ‘im well ‘nough, Merle. S’jus’ til I find somethin’.”_

 

_“Ya gonna live in King County now, or are ya comin’ back here?”_

 

_“Depends on what I find, Merle.”_

 

_“Gonna drive all the way from there to work every day?”_

 

_“His work’s only about twenty minutes tops from the house. Maybe less if he takes the backroads,” Rick had supplied._

 

_“Y’all jus’ got an answer for everythin’ don’tcha?”_

 

Maggie and Glenn hadn’t had much to say about it at all, although he’d caught Maggie giving Glenn a look from time to time like she knew something the rest of them didn’t. Aside from Merle’s griping Rick thought it had gone well all things considered. All that was left was to say their goodbyes and Daryl would follow him home. 

 

Five minutes. 

 

Five minutes was all they needed and they would’ve been out of there.

 

Daryl had parked his bike at the Rhee’s while he was gone and he’d walked over to get it. While he was across the street Maggie had gone back in the house for the few things Daryl wanted in the front seat. His crossbow, his leather jacket, and his lock box. Rick was distracted watching Daryl pull his bike out of the Rhee’s driveway, thinking he looked damn fine sitting on it.

 

Merle and Glenn were checking the tie downs on the truck one more time.

 

And then Maggie shrieked from inside the truck. 

 

“Oh my Lord what have y’all done?” She stood up, her eyes as big as saucers and her hand over her mouth. 

 

They all turned to look at her and Rick and Daryl immediately saw what she was holding in her hand. They exchanged a wide-eyed glance, each sure what the other was thinking. They had tossed the silly plastic rings in the glove box after they left the Stop n’ Git, but they’d forgotten about that damn piece of paper. 

 

In hindsight, Rick thought he probably should’ve taken the stuff from Maggie and stowed it on the front seat himself, but in all fairness they hadn’t expected to be moving Daryl’s things, let alone moving them in Rick’s truck. 

 

Daryl looked over at Rick, wondering if his own face was as red as the other man’s because it sure as hell felt that way.

 

“The hell ya on ‘bout, girl?” Merle asked and walked over to her, plucking the paper from her hand. 

 

Things kind of went downhill from there.

 

Merle was doubled over, one arm around his waist and the other hand on his knee cackling himself breathless, which is absolutely not what either of them expected from him. Then Glenn had the paper and didn’t even try to keep it together, laughing as hard as Merle. Maggie still hadn’t moved, apparently stunned speechless.

 

Of course, that wasn’t enough because right about then Beth pulled up, still in her scrubs from work, and walked over. She smiled and gave Rick and Daryl both a hug, not even registering that they were standing there together and obviously knew each other, but instead focusing her attention on the other three.

 

“What the heck are they all laughin’ at?” she asked as she stared at them.

 

Maggie motioned her over, still with her hand over her mouth, and took the paper from Glenn to hand to her sister.

 

Daryl narrowed his eyes and decided he couldn’t wait to burn that damn paper when they were done with it.

 

Beth’s big blue eyes got twice as big the minute she realized what she was looking at and she spun to face the two men who clearly didn’t see the humor in the situation. 

 

And there were questions.

 

_“Y’all did what?”_

 

_“Wait. I didn’t even know y’all knew each other. How long have y’all known each other? When did this happen?”_

 

_“They met last night!” Merle howled. “How fuckin’ much did y’all drink?”_

 

_“Did you guys do this on purpose?”_

 

_“Is this for real?”_

 

_“Since when do they do quickie weddings in New Orleans?”_

 

_“Are y’all gonna stay married?”_

 

Daryl stalked over and snatched the paper from Beth while Merle and Glenn got themselves under control, taking deep breaths and wiping tears. 

 

“Y’all done brayin’, ya jackasses?” Daryl snapped. 

 

Merle clapped Daryl on the shoulder. “Aw c’mon now, little brother, don’t be tha’ way. Jus’ wish I’d known is all. I’da baked y’all a cake with pink frostin’. Say, how ‘bout I git y’all some a them fancy pillowcases with yer ‘nitials on ‘em instead, huh? Ya gonna be a Grimes now or is Friendly here the newest Dixon?” And he was cackling again.

 

“Fuck you, Merle.” Daryl snapped.

 

“Makes sense now,” Merle said, waving a hand at the stuff in the back of Rick’s truck. “It jus’ wouldn’t be right not livin’ with yer new hubby.” 

 

“Shut the hell up, Merle!” Daryl was nearly yelling now. 

 

Rick had a feeling the brothers were only seconds away from rolling around in the grass and throwing punches if the look on Daryl’s face was any indication. He knew they didn’t mean any harm but he was kind of tired of hearing it himself so he walked over and took the paper from Daryl, folded it and put it in the glove box. 

 

“Alright, alright, y’all have had your fun. Trust me, y’all aren’t any more surprised than we were but it’s nothin’ that can’t be fixed, so we’re gonna fix it and that’s the end of it.” he said in that tone he normally only used at work.

 

“Fix it how?” Merle asked.

 

“We’ll just get it annulled and it’ll be like it never happened,” Rick explained even as he felt a certain unease at those words. “And nobody else needs to know,” he added with a warning to his tone. 

 

Maggie looked deep in thought before she asked, “Will they even do that if ya’ll...I mean...I don’t know if...if ya’ll…” she trailed off. 

 

Rick and Daryl probably should have looked anywhere but at each other.

 

“Well y’all know they did,” Merle laughed, then he shrugged one shoulder. “Ain’t gotta be a problem, though. Jus’ don’t tell ‘em y’all been slingin’ dingalings an’ they’ll never know.” Now he was cackling.

 

“Shut the hell up, Merle!” Daryl practically snarled at his brother as he hugged the sisters goodbye then walked over and got on his bike, walking it backward to turn it around. Rick hugged them as well and walked around the truck to get in. He turned around in the driveway as Daryl started the bike, and looked up to see Merle standing by his open window. 

 

“Ya be good ta my baby brother now, Friendly. Don’t make me hafta kick yer ass,” he said with a shit eating grin before patting the door and walking away.

 

Daryl revved the bike as Rick pulled away, flipping his brother off over his shoulder as he fell in behind him to follow him. Home. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	6. Synchronicity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to say it again...thanks so so much for all the reads, kudos, and kind words. I'm tickled pink that y'all are enjoying it!
> 
> How long did we really think they were going to be able to keep their little secret? Not with that bunch involved. 
> 
> And Rick came through at the eleventh hour and figured out a way for them to see each other again. He's a problem solver, that one. Now all these married strangers have to do is live together.
> 
> Another long chapter. I know, y'all hate that. ;)

Alone in the guest room again Daryl looked in the mirror and thought for the millionth time that he looked like a complete idiot dressed in a white shirt and tie. The long sleeved, stiff button up felt stifling and he finally gave in and unbuttoned the cuffs, rolling the sleeves up to his elbows. Annette would just have to get over it. This damn costume was the biggest reason he couldn’t wait for this thing to be over.

 

At the same time, he was surprised by how much he couldn’t wait for it to get started. 

 

Mostly he didn’t see the point in it. They were already married so why a wedding? He thought that had been a pretty good argument against it when Annette, Maggie, and Beth had started harping about it and planning and organizing. Maggie had gotten around that by declaring that it wasn’t a wedding, it was a recommitment ceremony or something. Of course she had. 

 

Part of him liked the idea of it, though. Other than the morning they’d woken up together in New Orleans, and maybe for a couple of weeks after that, Daryl had never regretted the way he met Rick and how they came to be together. It was crazy and ridiculous and completely ass backward but it was theirs. Still, he couldn’t help thinking that Rick deserved so much more than stumbling into a 24-hour wedding chapel and waking up with no memory of his wedding night. 

 

So yeah, he was excited for Rick to have this. This was the one they’d remember. 

 

He sat on the bed to keep from walking in circles and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, bouncing one leg and rubbing his hands together. He may not be pacing but that didn’t mean he could sit still. He wondered where Rick was and what the women had him doing. At this point, he wouldn’t be surprised if they had him stashed in the attic or hogtied in the barn, hell-bent on keeping them apart until the very last minute. 

 

He wondered if Rick was as nervous as he was. Probably not, the man never seemed to get nervous or upset about anything. He smiled to himself thinking about their first morning together. He’d been so worked up and Rick hadn’t really batted an eye. It had annoyed him then, but now it was one of the things he loved about him.

 

A year ago he’d been fresh out of a disaster of a relationship, sure he never wanted to get married and almost convinced love wasn’t in the cards for him. He’d briefly considered staying in Louisiana, then decided to come home only to leave Walkertown and move to King County - all within twenty-four hours - wondering if he really belonged anywhere. 

 

At the time he’d wanted nothing more than to crash in Rick’s spare room until he found a place and have a chance to get to know him. 

 

He never imagined it would have turned out like this. 

 

Here he was a year later married to a man he loved more than the air he breathed and getting ready to marry him again of all things. Sometimes he still couldn’t believe how everything had seemed to fall into place for them. Nothing had ever come that easy to him. 

 

Without a doubt, the past year had been the happiest, most peaceful of his whole life. He’d finally let himself believe he was right where he belonged and there was one thing he knew for sure.

 

As long as he was with Rick, he was home. 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

_One year ago…_

 

 

Daryl wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but to be fair between getting drunk last night and waking up married, coming home to find he had no home and then their family and friends finding out, well, he hadn’t really taken the time to consider where or how Rick lived. 

 

Had he taken the time to think about, he didn’t think he would have ever imagined the older, Cape Cod style home on the far edge of town. It sat on roughly three acres at the end of a long driveway almost at the end of a dead-end road, at least an acre of which was well-manicured lawn. The front porch spanned the entire width of the house and was bordered by well-kept flower beds that extended down either side of a front walkway that curved out to meet the driveway. 

 

The driveway extended beyond the back of the house to a detached, two-car garage and beyond that was more lawn, all the way back to the woods. With its bright white siding, light blue shutters and dormer windows above the porch, it looked like something out of a kid’s storybook. 

 

The house he’d lived in with Martinez was nice as far as older rental houses go. It had been the nicest place Daryl had ever lived even if it was smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood, which he’d hated far more than he’d let on. This, though. Daryl would have never pictured himself living in a place as nice as this, even if it was temporary. It was quiet and secluded, bordered on two sides by woods, and it was damn near perfect. 

 

He was suddenly nervous as hell and thinking he’d made a big mistake. He should have known better than to worry.

 

He parked the bike beside the truck and immediately felt more at ease when Rick climbed out with an easy, comfortable smile on his face. He definitely didn’t look like a man who was being inconvenienced or like he was regretting his decision. If anything he looked genuinely happy to have him there and Daryl wasn’t sure how he should feel about that. For now, he settled on relieved.

 

Rick took his suitcase while Daryl grabbed his duffel and the things on the front seat and followed the other man into the house. He stood inside the front door while Rick set his suitcase at the bottom of the stairs and went to adjust the thermostat, that same smile in place when he returned. 

 

“Come on, I’ll show you where your room is and show you the house, then we’ll get your stuff in,” Rick said. 

 

Daryl followed him upstairs to the spare room at the far end of the hall. It was at the back of the house, with a dormer window overlooking the front yard and two large windows that overlooked the backyard and the woods. The furnishings were simple: a full-size bed, a nightstand, a four-drawer chest and a matching dresser with a mirror. A large, well-worn braided rug covered the hardwood floor. Daryl thought it was perfect.

 

Rick had apologized all over himself for the fact that he’d have to share the upstairs bathroom with Carl, but for Daryl’s part he couldn’t have cared less. He just couldn’t be sure how Carl would feel about it. 

 

Downstairs was pretty much what he’d expected. The front door opened into the living room, with the kitchen at the back of the house. A short hallway beside the stairs led to the master bedroom - Rick’s room. The other side of the hallway opened to the den and Daryl could tell by the furniture and big screen TV that the front room was probably seldom used. The den opened to the kitchen, and both of those rooms opened to a large deck on the back of the house. 

 

Rick had explained that it was his parent’s house, the house he grew up in. They’d both been gone for several years and him being an only child, it had come to him. He had decided to sell it when Lori made it clear she had no intention of moving into it, but just as he’d been ready to put it on the market they had split so he’d kept it and moved in. He’d also explained with more than a little pride that he’d upgraded the kitchen himself, and turned the small office at the end of the hallway into the master bath. 

 

On second thought, this was exactly the kind of place Daryl could imagine Rick growing up. 

 

Rick had suggested they stow his sporting gear in the garage and again he’d apologized. This time for the jumble of mess on one side, saying he’d been meaning to straighten it up for ages. As if it was Daryl’s business what he did in his garage. While they were in there he’d made the offer to Daryl of the unused side for his bike. 

 

“I never pull the truck in here, it just sits empty. Might as well park it in here when the weather’s bad.”

 

When the truck was unloaded and they realized they were starving, Rick had suggested the diner in town then a trip to the grocery store, something else he’d been putting off. Daryl must have looked surprised or something.

 

“I mean unless you don’t want to. I’m sure we can find something here to throw together,” he shrugged. 

 

“Nah, the diner’s fine. Jus’ figured after bein’ gone ya’d have shit ya needed to get done, stuff ya wanted to do,” Daryl answered. 

 

There was that smile again. “Well I need to eat, and I want you to come with me,” Rick said simply. “Daryl, I already told you I wanted to see you again after we got back. I’d like to start tonight if that’s okay with you.”

 

He seemed a little shy all of a sudden and Daryl studied him for a long minute trying to contain his own grin then answered, “Yeah. S’okay with me.”

 

The food at the diner was amazing, the company even better, and Daryl had never imagined he’d ever describe shopping for groceries as fun. As decisions went he was starting to think this might not be one of the worst ones he’d ever made. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

They’d fallen into a routine almost immediately and after the first week, Rick was thankful for that. He knew it couldn’t be easy for Daryl to be staying in someone’s home that he barely knew, especially after the way he’d lost his own, so he was relieved that the other man seemed happy there so far.

 

Rick was still pulling second shift while Leon Bassett was out. His wife had given birth to twins a few weeks ago and Rick had been the first to volunteer to cover his shift. It hadn’t been a big deal at the time since he didn’t have anyone to come home to most of the time anyway, and Morgan had been good enough to adjust his hours so he could be with Carl when he was there.

 

Now it was a big deal, and Leon still had three weeks left of his leave. The difference was, Rick had somebody to come home to now. Maybe not in the traditional sense, he knew Daryl would only be there until he found a place, but they were technically dating and even if they hadn’t actually gone out again since the diner they tried to spend as much time together as they could. That was proving to be hard to do though when they only saw each other first thing in the morning and not again until late at night when Rick would come in from work. 

 

True to his word Rick had called his lawyer first thing the following Monday morning. After the good-natured “are you kidding me?” and “Rick Grimes what have you done?”, his lawyer had told him that due to the fact they were drunk enough not to remember much of it, they would probably qualify for an annulment. All Rick had to do was file the papers and they would be served on Daryl, they’d go to court and it should be a done deal, no problem. He’d advised him he had six months to make it happen and to call him whenever he was ready.

 

Wisely, Rick had left out the part about Daryl moving in with him. That fact would have disqualified them even if they were sleeping in separate rooms. 

 

Now Rick just had to file the papers. He knew it was what needed to be done but even so, he had six months so he didn’t feel the need to be in a rush.

 

 

Daryl would never have thought he’d be this comfortable staying at Rick’s. He was actually relaxed and he was sure it was because of the other man. He made him feel welcome and at ease without seeming to go out of his way. Of course, he worked second shift for now so they didn’t see much of each other - which he would admit he wasn’t too happy about - but he had no reason to think it would be any different if Rick were there all the time. 

 

The most unnerved he’d been since he got there was the weekend after he moved in, the weekend Carl was coming to stay with his dad. It didn’t help that it was a long weekend due to Monday being a teacher work day; he didn’t know if that would be a good thing or not. 

 

Turned out Rick was right about that, too. 

 

He’d talked to Carl in the middle of the week and told him they had a new roommate and he’d explain how they met when he got there. He hadn’t expected the boy to get a bigger laugh out of it than his brother did, but he had to say it was a relief. The kid had given his dad a properly hard time, made an inordinate amount of jokes at his dad’s expense, and didn’t seem bothered in the least that he had a new step dad even if it was just temporary. In fact, he and Carl had hit it off almost immediately. 

 

He’d been nervous as fuck about the hours he’d be spending alone with Carl while his dad was at work on Friday night. He’d never been around kids in his life, but he learned that between ordering pizza and a few heated rounds of video games it was pretty easy to keep a teenager entertained. 

 

While they sat in the kitchen eating, Carl had been thrilled to learn Daryl was into fishing and hunting and was in awe when he found out he used a crossbow. With a promise from Carl to get Rick’s permission first, Daryl promised to show him the basics of how to use one. He also learned that Carl loved to go camping, and the teen was already making tentative plans for a camping trip as soon as they could make it happen. 

 

That had seemed to be the biggest hurdle and Daryl was glad he’d cleared it easily enough. Still, with as well as everything seemed to be going he was frustrated. Not by his living arrangements, and not by the people he lived with. Well, by one of the people he lived with. Rick in particular. 

 

He’d been frustrated since his first morning there and he’d come down to the kitchen to find Rick making coffee. Coffee didn’t bother him, coffee was fine, he just hadn’t expected to find Rick standing with his back to the room looking out the kitchen window wearing nothing but a pair of well-worn sleep pants.

 

See, Daryl had two speeds - dressed or undressed. He was either fully clothed or walking around in boxers (and he was relieved he’d been fully clothed when he came in the kitchen). He either slept in boxers or in nothing at all, and when he got up he got dressed for the day. There was no in between for him. 

 

He thought Rick’s in between might drive him crazy. 

 

The pants rode low on his slim hips, he was barefoot and shirtless, and his hair was a disheveled, sexy mess of curls. Fuck. It made the whole maintaining eye contact thing really difficult. In fact, it was all he could do not to finish undressing him with his eyes. He’d been as thankful for Rick to finally get dressed that morning as he had been the morning before. 

 

It frustrated him to lay in bed at night and hear Rick’s shower directly below him and think about Rick in that shower. It frustrated him to lay there and wonder what Rick would do if he got up the nerve to walk downstairs and slip into the shower with him. What really frustrated him was having to take care of himself before he went to sleep when what he really wanted was for Rick to be up there taking care of him.

 

For the past two weeks, they’d spent as much time together as they could and Daryl wasn’t stupid, he knew they were “dating” no matter what the crazy circumstances were. What frustrated him maybe more than anything was that in those two weeks Rick hadn’t so much as kissed him, not even once. What the hell was that?

 

He thought he knew what it was. There seemed to be some unspoken agreement that they weren’t going to rush anything. Besides the fact that they’d already rushed plenty, Rick seemed to want to do things the right way and Daryl respected that and appreciated it. He didn’t remember agreeing to anything of the sort, but he supposed it made sense. 

 

Didn’t mean it didn’t frustrate the hell out of him though. 

 

As it happened, he didn’t have to wait much longer. 

 

His third weekend there, on Saturday, they’d decided to grill steaks for supper. They were in the kitchen arguing over potatoes of all things. Well, not arguing really, more like debating. 

 

_“Rick, ya know when ya use a knife to peel potatoes ya lose a lotta the potato, too.” Daryl waved the potato peeler at him._

 

_Rick shrugged. “Those damn things take too long.”_

 

 _“So ya’d rather waste potato than take a few more minutes peelin’ ‘em?” Daryl asked._

 

_Daryl was watching him peel away the skin and part of the potato with it and chewing the inside of his lip. It was driving him nuts._

 

_“Still got plenty to cook when I’m done.” Rick reasoned._

 

_Daryl sighed. “Fine, do it your way. Long as ya know you’re way is wrong.”_

 

_Rick smiled. “You’re lucky you’re cute, seein’ as I have a knife in my hand and all.”_

 

_Without missing a beat Daryl plucked the knife from his hand and replaced it with the peeler._

 

 _“There, now ya got a peeler. Use it,” he said smugly._

 

 _It was only the simple act of him taking the knife from Rick. Just his fingers brushing Rick’s hand for a split second as he replaced it with the peeler. Rick turned to look at him and something in his eyes had changed and in the next second they’d both abandoned the potatoes in favor of Rick backing him into the corner of the counter and kissing the life out of him._

 

 _Daryl couldn’t say how long he stood there with his hands in Rick’s hair and Rick’s tongue practically down his throat. Honestly, he would’ve stood there like that for as long as Rick wanted. When they finally stopped long enough to come up for air he voiced the first thought that popped into his head._

 

_“‘Bout damn time.”_

 

 _Rick flashed one of his heart-stopping smiles. “I didn’t want you to think that’s the only reason I wanted you here. I can’t lie though, I’ve been wantin’ to do that for a while.” He leaned back in and kissed him again._

 

They’d finally finished peeling the potatoes and grilled the steaks. It was cool enough outside that they took their food and beers and ate out on the deck. Daryl was feeling as relaxed as ever, that tiny voice that may have whispered a few times that Rick wasn’t as sure about them as he’d originally seemed finally silenced for good. 

 

The food was good, the beer was cold, and without question, he wouldn’t want to be there with anybody else. That said, it was one of the hardest meals he’d ever had to sit through. He couldn’t help thinking about that kiss, couldn’t help thinking he really wanted another one, and he had to try his best to ignore the fact that his dick was half hard the whole time. 

 

They’d cleaned up after supper, getting the job done much quicker than they normally did, and had gone to the den to flop on the couch and watch TV. Except they both probably knew they weren’t there to watch TV. 

 

Not ten minutes later Daryl was on his back and Rick was stretched out on top of him. At some point, their shirts had come off and the feel of Rick’s skin against his was heaven. Almost as heavenly as the fact that when Rick’s mouth wasn’t on his, it was anywhere else he could find a bare inch of flesh. Daryl was absolutely throbbing, his erection pressing painfully against his zipper and he knew Rick had to be just as uncomfortable, he could feel it every time the other man ground his hips against him. 

 

It was pretty clear where this was going and Daryl wanted it more than he’d ever wanted anything, which made it damn near impossible for him to put a stop to it. 

 

He pulled away from Rick, nearly breathless, and closed his hands around the other man’s hips to still him. Rick’s mouth had gone back to his neck.

 

_“Rick...fuck...Rick wait.”_

 

_Rick pulled back to look at him, only a little worry in his eyes._

 

_“Want ya...fuck I want ya so bad. But...I’s with…” he trailed off, not even wanting to mention his name at that moment. “An’ he was with...I ain’t got nothin’ to use. If ya don’t have nothin’...we can’t...I don’t know if…”_

 

_Rick cut him off with a quick kiss. It was easy to see he was struggling to say what he wanted to say but Rick got it._

 

_“Daryl, I get it. And I’m sorry, I don’t have anything either. I should have thought about that.” Rick pulled himself up off of Daryl with a frustrated sigh and both men sat up, Rick looking thoughtful._

 

_“I don’t think we...I mean I don’t have any idea if we used anythin’...you know...before,” he said._

 

 _Daryl nodded and chewed the inside of his lip. “We did.” Rick looked at him, clearly confused. “Wouldn’ta been sure either if I hadn’t...uh...stepped on it when I got up that mornin’.” He looked back at Rick and thought he should have been embarrassed but instead, he was trying hard not to laugh._

 

 _Rick was struggling too. “That’s gross, Daryl.” And then they were both laughing._

 

_“Yeah, it was. Jus’ glad one a our drunk asses thought to use one,” he said._

 

_Rick shook his head. “Had to have been you, I didn’t have one.”_

 

They didn’t let that small detail deter them too much, though. They settled for trading handjobs, and Daryl was convinced it was the best one he’d ever had. 

 

 

Which is how Daryl found himself taking a long lunch the following Monday, sitting in the free clinic one town over in Woodbury where nobody knew either of them. They told him they’d mail him the results, which he wasn’t happy about but he’d expected it.

 

 

It felt like the longest wait of his life when in reality it was barely more than a week. He’d come home from work to find the envelope in the mailbox and had ripped it open before he even pulled in the driveway, a broad smile breaking out on his face. 

 

The more he’d thought about it, it had occurred to him that he and Martinez hadn’t had sex the last month and a half they’d been together and he’d been hoping he hadn’t hopped in somebody else’s bed until after they’d stopped. Maybe that’s why they’d stopped in the first place. Either way, he was grateful the man had at least had the decency to stop fucking him. 

 

His happiness was short-lived, however, when he went in the house to find the message light blinking on the machine. He was always reluctant to play the messages, it was Rick’s machine after all, but Rick had told him shortly after he’d moved in that it was just as likely to be a message for him and he had nothing to hide. He wished he’d been a little more reluctant this time.

 

The message was for Rick, from his lawyer. A follow-up call, he said. He wanted to let him know that the papers were ready anytime he wanted to come by and sign them. They could get them served pretty quickly and get the ball rolling. 

 

Daryl dropped the envelope he’d still been holding on the table and sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair and over his face. It wasn’t like it was a secret. He and Rick had talked about it and he knew the papers were being drawn up. It was the right thing to do and it only made sense. A hell of a lot more sense than being married to a guy that you’d only just started dating. 

 

Still, he couldn’t help wondering, and worrying a little, if it would change anything between them once it was done or if it would simply be a relief to have it behind them. Looking at the envelope again he decided to forget about all that for now and focus on the good news. By the time he’d had a beer and went to shower he’d mostly put the message out of his head and was looking forward to Rick getting home later that night.

 

 

Rick was smiling when he pulled in the driveway at only a little before seven; his time on second shift was over. Leon’s mother-in-law had come for a visit and decided to stay for a while to help out. Needless to say, Leon was anxious to get back to work and Rick was more than okay with that. He had a feeling Daryl would be more than okay with it, too. He hoped he would be, anyway.

 

He was still smiling when he walked in the door and hollered for Daryl. When the other man didn’t answer he figured he was upstairs or out back, so he decided to change out of his uniform first then look for him. He rounded the corner into the hallway and stopped dead in his tracks, his smile gone but only because he was gaping like an idiot. He could have been drooling for all he knew but there wasn’t a thing he could do about it.

 

He’d completely forgotten that the upstairs shower was leaking and it hadn’t been fixed yet. He’d forgotten that Daryl and Carl had been using his shower. The sight of Daryl coming up the hallway wearing nothing but a towel reminded him pretty damn quickly, though. 

 

It wasn’t just the white towel wrapped low around his waist, contrasting perfectly with his tanned skin. It was the tiny rivulets of water dripping from his wet, wildly untamed hair, trailing their way down his shoulders and over his broad chest and stomach, curling their way down his muscular arms. 

 

He didn’t think the man had ever looked sexier. 

 

He could have gone and bought condoms at any point after that night on the couch, either one of them could have, but Rick had been determined that he didn’t want anything between them when they finally got to be together. Standing there taking in the sight of Daryl freshly showered and soaking wet, he fully realized that might have been one of the dumber decisions he’d ever made. 

 

It had only taken a minute for his dick to be throbbing painfully and he knew it was as obvious to Daryl through his uniform pants as Daryl’s erection was to him underneath the towel. It didn’t help that Daryl’s surprise had quickly been replaced with that look in his eye that Rick had become so familiar with. It made him want to lick every drop of water off of skin that he knew would still be warm from the shower and he was trying hard to stay where he was.

 

He really only tried for about a half a minute. 

 

He walked slowly towards Daryl, who didn’t move a muscle, and he didn’t stop until he’d stepped fully into the other man’s space. He went straight for his neck but didn’t kiss or lick or suck. He merely nuzzled his nose against his damp skin but that’s all it took for him to grind his hips forward, effectively trapping Daryl between him and the wall, and also loosening the towel around his waist. 

 

The minute he pulled back the towel dropped to the floor and it might as well have taken the last breath of air in his lungs with it. 

 

It occurred to him then that despite what little fooling around they’d done he hadn’t seen Daryl fully naked since that first morning, and he mentally kicked himself again for possibly being the dumbest man on the planet. 

 

Daryl finally moved, grabbing Rick’s hips and pulling him back against him, this time grinding back. He reached up and slid his fingers into the curls at his neck and pulled Rick’s mouth to his, and put absolutely no shame on taking what he wanted. The kiss started sloppy and rushed, but quickly fell into a rhythm that matched the slow grind of their hips. 

 

Rick had to force himself to think clearly and the first thought he had was that one of them was wearing entirely too many clothes. His second thought was that it didn’t matter anyway, they still hadn’t heard from the clinic. 

 

He was also still considering kicking his own ass for not buying condoms. 

 

Reluctantly, he broke the kiss and pulled back far enough to look at Daryl. The look on his face and in his eyes very nearly broke his resolve and he sucked in a deep breath. 

 

“Damn. Do you have any idea how fuckin’ gorgeous you are right now? Any idea how bad I want you? You’re killin’ me. When’s that damn letter supposed to get here? Shouldn’t it be here by now?” The questions came rapidly and on shaky breaths as he fought to get himself under control.

 

Daryl’s ground his hips against Rick again. He couldn’t help it, those words had gone straight to his heart before jumping down to his cock. 

 

He brushed his lips against Rick’s, “The letter? Came today.” He dipped his head and licked a wet trail from the hollow of Rick’s throat around to the spot below his ear that tended to drive the other man crazy. 

 

Rick hummed low in his throat. “Mmm...you gonna be an asshole and tease me, or are you gonna tell me what it said?”

 

Daryl was mouthing back along Rick’s jaw towards his mouth, taking a moment to enjoy the effect he was having on the other man. He licked into Rick’s mouth with his whole tongue before pulling back and saying as casually as he could, “Huh? Oh, said m’good. M’clean.” 

 

That’s all it took for Rick to turn him and walk him backward to his bedroom, Daryl fumbling with the buttons on Rick’s shirt as they went. He peeled the shirt off and let it drop to the floor, then his hands were on his belt, then his button and zipper, making quick work of getting him out of his pants. 

 

By the time they made it to the bed, Rick was jerking his boxers down to join his pants on the floor and wasted no time covering Daryl’s naked body with his own. He let out a contented sigh, half convinced he’d died and gone to heaven and he wasn’t even inside him yet. That thought gave him pause. Is that what Daryl wanted?

 

He stopped kissing his neck and chest long enough to look up at him and ask quietly, “What do you want?”

 

Daryl was sure he knew what Rick was asking and he was quick to answer. “Wantcha to quit makin’ me wait an’ fuck me.” He dipped his tongue into his mouth once, then he sucked Rick’s bottom lip into his mouth and let it go with a soft ‘pop’. “Ya wanna switch it up later we can.” He sucked softly at his earlobe then put his mouth against his ear. “Right now I wantcha to fuck the life outta me.”

 

Rick’s breath left him in a rush and he ground his cock hard against Daryl’s, eliciting a gasp from the other man. “Fuckin’ hell, Daryl. You’re gonna make me cum before we ever get started.”

 

“Mmm…” Daryl thrust his hips up into Rick’s. “Best get started then.” 

 

Well shit. How could he say no to that? 

 

He stretched to reach the nightstand drawer, thankful he at least had lube even if he’d only ever used it to take care of himself. As he moved Daryl’s hands were everywhere, touching and rubbing and grasping and leaving tiny sparks of heat in their wake. When his hand settled on Rick’s cock and his thick fingers wrapped around it though, Rick was sure that would be his undoing. 

 

As much as he wanted him to keep going, he really needed him to stop. He put his hand over Daryl’s, intending to stop him, but he couldn’t resist helping him with just a few strokes. _Fuck._ Okay, he had to stop. 

 

It took everything he had to pull himself from Daryl’s firm grip and sit back on his heels. He’d no sooner popped the top on the lube than Daryl moved to turn over. The picture he painted - elbows down, ass up - was worth more than any thousand words and Rick had to grip the base of his cock to get himself under control. He half thought Daryl was doing it on purpose just to be a tease. 

 

Not that he was complaining.

 

By the time he was three fingers in Daryl was flat on his stomach, writhing and rolling his hips with Rick draped over him, kissing and nipping at his shoulders and back. 

 

Daryl turned his head far enough to speak clearly, or as clearly as he could manage with all the other noises he was making. “Fuck, Rick...c’mon...now you’re jus’ teasin’.” 

 

Rick was more than ready to be inside him but he didn’t want it this way. He leaned down and teased the shell of his ear with the tip of his tongue. 

 

“Turn over. I wanna see your face.” He whispered.

 

His cock already harder than it had ever been in his life, Daryl rolled his hips just to feel the friction of the blanket underneath him. That just might have been the sexiest thing anybody had ever said to him. He wasn’t sure he was going to last long either. 

 

He rolled onto his back and opened his legs, watching Rick slick himself up and thinking he was a perfect fit as he settled himself between them. His breath was coming in short gasps as Rick’s eyes locked on his, never once looking away as he slid into him. 

 

Rick reached down to line himself up and couldn’t help being grateful for that one brief experience all those years ago. At least he wouldn’t look like a fumbling idiot. Turns out he had nothing to worry about. As soon as felt himself slip past that tight ring of muscle and with the look of pure bliss on Daryl’s face it was as if instinct took over and his body was working completely on its own with no help from him. 

 

He also knew without a doubt that despite that one time years ago, he would always think of this as his first _real_ time with a man. As far as he was concerned, it was the only time that counted.

 

If Daryl thought Rick was a perfect fit before he was wrong. He pressed his head back into the pillow as Rick slid inside him and he was positive that there was nothing more perfect than this. 

 

Rick wanted to take his time. He wanted nothing more than to make this last as long as he could. The problem was, with every thrust taking him deeper than the last and Daryl’s hips rising to meet his, the other man was making it clear he didn’t need long and drawn out. He needed more. 

 

One minute he’d let out a quiet whimper, the next a throaty groan that bordered on a growl, then a panted “Rick, please...”

 

“Please what?” Rick whispered back.

 

“Need more. I ain’t gonna break. C’mon.” His tone was part plea and part command and Rick couldn’t figure out which one turned him on more. He also couldn’t deny him.

 

He drove into him faster and harder. He dropped his hips, just enough, and within a few thrusts he’d found Daryl’s sweet spot, this time earning him a true growl as Daryl gripped his hips hard enough to bruise and he found that he liked that feeling a lot. 

 

Just a minute later Daryl’s grip loosened and then one hand was gone. Rick looked down to see him wrap his hand around his own cock this time and he was sure the sight of him stroking himself in time with his thrusts would be what finished him off. He could feel Daryl tightening around him and he knew it wasn’t going to take much more for either of them. 

 

“Fuck, Daryl…” 

 

A second later Daryl’s free hand flew up to grip the pillow until his knuckles were white, then he was spilling between them on a long, low moan. Rick’s eyes went from watching Daryl cum to the look on his face and back to watching him squeeze the last of his release over his fingers, his eyes locked on the milky droplets as they landed on skin shimmering with a thin sheen of sweat. 

 

No sooner had he finished than those strong hands reached around Rick to grip his ass every bit as tightly as they had his hips as Daryl pulled him in deeper, only to push him back then pull him in deeper still. The heat coiling low in his belly was nearly unbearable and he felt his balls draw tight against his body. 

 

Daryl reached up to thread his fingers into Rick’s curls and pull him into a filthy kiss, then whispered against his mouth, “Cum for me, Rick.” 

 

At that point, what the hell else could he do? 

 

With one final, hard thrust and a strained groan he emptied into him, his hips stuttering as he came harder than he ever had in his life. No orgasm he’d ever had before had felt like this one, and he was positive that if this was the only time he got to have this for the rest of his life he would die absolutely happy and satisfied. Of course, he had no intention of this being the only time. 

 

After a minute in which neither of them could catch their breath long enough to speak, Rick slipped out of Daryl and rolled to settle on his back beside him. They laid there in silence and perfectly content with that, cooling off and coming back to their senses. 

 

A while later, Rick had no idea how long and didn’t care, Daryl’s stomach filled the silence with a hungry growl.

 

Rick turned to look at him. “You haven’t eaten yet?” 

 

“Nah, I’s gonna wait til ya got home,” Daryl answered.

 

“Ya didn’t have to wait for me, Daryl. Not if you were hungry.” 

 

“Wasn’t hungry before. Worked up an appetite,” he smirked. 

 

Deciding that naked was easier than even pulling on boxers, and Daryl not having any downstairs anyway, they went to the kitchen and finished off the chicken and potato salad leftover from the night before. For once they only rinsed the dishes and left them in the sink, opting to shower instead. Together, of course. 

 

They didn’t take things as far as they could have but they took their time. By the time they made it back to Rick’s bed it was clear that Daryl had wasted his second shower of the night and he got his round two. The second time wasn’t as frantic or rushed as the first as they took their time there as well, still learning each other. 

 

It wasn’t until they were almost asleep, Daryl curled into Rick much the same as when he woke up with him weeks ago, that Daryl remembered the message from the lawyer. Rick wasn’t quite asleep yet but Daryl didn’t feel like this was the time to bring it up. In fact, he still didn’t even want to think about it. So he didn’t. He put it out of his head as he moved closer to Rick and fell asleep.

 

When Rick woke the next morning he was alone in his bed, the cool sheets to his left telling him that Daryl had been gone for a while. He guessed he must have gotten up before daylight and made his way upstairs. He sighed heavily as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, disappointment settling heavy in his chest even though he supposed he understood it. 

 

Despite what they’d done in New Orleans, this thing between them had only just started and maybe Daryl wasn’t ready to start sleeping in his bed, even if only occasionally. He wasn’t going to push the issue no matter how much he wanted to wake up with him. If only occasionally. 

 

They’d sat down to eat breakfast when Daryl told him about the message. Rick had mulled that bit of information over then nodded, saying he’d go by the lawyer’s office one day during the coming week and sign the papers. Even as he said it, though, Daryl saw something settle on his face that he was sure mirrored the look on his own, even if neither man could say exactly what it was. 

 

As it happened, the following week turned out to be more hectic than they expected. 

 

A harsh, late spring storm had blown through at the beginning of the week, taking down trees and power lines on the other side of town, and knocking out several of the traffic lights in town. Midweek Rick had been tapped to work a particularly nasty head-on collision on the narrow two-lane out by the highway, and they had two deputies out with the flu which created overtime for some of the others, including Rick.

 

Daryl had put in his own overtime, helping another crew finish a job in time to make their deadline. In what spare time he had he was cleaning and prepping their fishing gear to get ready for the fishing trip they’d promised Carl the following Saturday. 

 

Rick never did make it to the lawyer’s office that week.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	7. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunday lunch at the farm should be fun, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to say, I wasn't too sure about this story at first but all the love is making me feel better about it all the time. Thank you all so much for the reads, kudos and sweet reviews!

Annette led Rick straight to the kitchen and when he didn’t see Daryl there he knew he wouldn’t get to see him before they started. She flitted around the kitchen offering him coffee or juice, then practically tried to force lemonade or water on him when she wasn’t fidgeting with his already perfectly straight tie. She was clearly anxious and Rick knew it was because she wanted this to go well for them and he loved her for it. 

 

Still, he might have loved her even more if she’d told him where they were hiding Daryl.

 

He knew Daryl had to be every bit as anxious as Annette, if not more, and he’d bet money whatever room they had him in he was pacing a hole in the floor. No sooner had he thought that thought than Merle came into the kitchen and grinned broadly.

 

“Mornin’, Friendly! Ya ready ta git hitched? Agin’.” He laughed at his own joke.

 

“More ready than I’ve ever been, Merle,” Rick answered.

 

“More ready n’ the last time anyway, huh?” he said low enough for only Rick to hear as he walked past him to the coffee pot. 

 

Annette swatted his arm on the way out of the kitchen and chastised him. “Merle Dixon, ya leave him alone now.”

 

Merle rubbed his upper arm and hissed, thinking genteel southern women sure knew how to pack a wallop. “M’sorry, Miss Annette.”

 

When she was gone Merle turned to Rick. “Tell ya like I told little brother. I ain’t gon’ stop givin’ y’all hell, y’all know that,” he grinned. 

 

“Wouldn’t have it any other way, Merle,” Rick grinned. 

 

Merle had come a long way since the night Rick had locked him in a holding cell, even if he was still rough around the edges. As brothers-in-law went he wasn’t sure he could do much better. Underneath all that loud mouth and bluster was a kind heart, even if most people were afraid to point that out to him. One thing was for sure, the man loved his brother fiercely and even it that was the only thing the two of them had in common it was enough. Rick admired and respected him for a lot of reasons, no matter his reputation or what people said about him and his past, one of those reasons being his loyalty. He’d told Rick more than once that he was family, and Dixons looked out for their own. He couldn’t ask for more than that.

 

“Speakin’ of Daryl, I know you’ve seen him this mornin’. How’s he doin’?” Rick asked.

 

The corner of Merle’s mouth ticked up in a barely-there grin. Friendly always worried about his brother first. “He’s in that guest room pacin’ ta beat the band. Chewin’ on that thumb. Got hisself all worked up. Told ‘im weren’t nothin’ to worry ‘bout, he’ll do fine.” Maybe he shouldn’t have told Rick all that, made him worry, but he wasn’t going to lie to him either. 

 

Maggie walked into the kitchen with a look on her face that came close to pity. She came over to hug Rick and smoothed a hand over his tie. What was it with these women and ties?

 

“Hey Rick, ya look real handsome,” she said.

 

“Thanks, Maggie, ya look awfully pretty yourself,” he smiled.

 

“Look, I know we said y’all couldn’t see each other before it starts, tradition and all, but y’all haven’t exactly followed tradition, have ya? Besides, I just went in to see Daryl and he’s a mess of nerves.” She grinned slyly. “Mama’s outside and I think it would do him a world of good if ya went in there. Ya gotta promise to leave the door open, though,” she said with a knowing look. 

 

“Ya tryin’ to get me skinned alive?” Rick asked. “Your mama’ll have a fit if she catches me in there with Daryl.”

 

“Mama will just have to get over it. I told ya she’s outside so ya’d best hurry.” she smiled.

 

He leaned in a pressed a kiss to her cheek as he walked past her out of the kitchen. “Thanks, Maggs,” he said over his shoulder.

 

Merle was leaned against the counter sipping his coffee. “Ya gonna git it now, girl,” he said with a smug grin.

 

On his way to the guest room, Rick couldn’t help feeling a little panicked. He would never force Daryl to do this if he really didn’t want to, but at the same time, he hoped he’d be able to go through with it. He really wanted Daryl to have this. Even if Daryl didn’t realize he wanted it Rick knew he deserved it. 

 

Rick had all the faith in the world in him, even when he didn’t have faith in himself. Daryl always came through when it counted and that thought relaxed him a little. He wouldn’t fully relax until he could see his husband, though.

 

He reached the guest room but got no further than the threshold and froze. Daryl was facing the mirror and fidgeting with the thin, black tie he wore. He wondered how many times it had been straightened that morning only for him to mess it up again. 

 

He hadn’t seen him yet so Rick took a minute to look. Daryl was wearing a white dress shirt like his own, tucked into a pair of black dress pants that couldn’t have looked more perfect on him if they’d been tailored to fit. Rick would bet money that the dress shoes he wore would be shoved to the back of the closet later, never to be seen again. For now, though, he looked amazing. 

 

The most dressed up Rick had ever seen him was a brand new pair of jeans and a clean t-shirt with the sleeves still attached. Not that he had a problem with that. But damn, he might have to find a way to get him dressed up like this more often. 

 

“Ya gonna stand there an’ stare at my ass all day?” Daryl asked as he turned around. Rick looked down at the floor, smiling as he remembered the day a year ago when he’d been caught by a different mirror doing the same thing. 

 

When he finally looked up he watched his husband visibly relax. His breath hitched in his throat and he felt a sweet, near-painful ache bloom in his chest when Daryl’s mouth spread into the broad, sweet grin that only he got to see. 

 

He finally gathered himself enough to answer and smiled. “I could, yeah.”

 

“Or ya could quit bein’ cute an; come over here an’ kiss me,” Daryl suggested.

 

“I could, yeah,” Rick repeated and crossed the room to where Daryl stood. He cupped his face in his hands and kissed him softly.

 

“That all I get?” Daryl asked.

 

“As long as we have to keep that door open, yeah.” Rick grinned and motioned to the door with his head.

 

“Annette ain't gonna like ya bein’ in here,” Daryl said.

 

“She’s not gonna like those sleeves rolled up either,” Rick replied.

 

“Shouldn’ta made me wear this get-up then,” Daryl complained.

 

“You look gorgeous in that get-up, sweetheart,” Rick smiled and gave him another chaste kiss. 

 

He’d mostly gotten used to the term of endearment Rick had started using about six months ago but it still caught him off guard sometimes. “Yeah, well, she’ll hafta get over it. Feel like I’m suffocatin’ in this thing.”

 

Rick laughed. “You and Maggie have got her gettin’ over a lot of stuff y’all know she’s not gonna get over.”

 

“Only wearin’ it for you anyway,” Daryl admitted.

 

“Yeah? Well, how about later on I show you just how much I appreciate the effort by gettin’ you out of it?” Rick’s eyebrow ticked up.

 

“The sooner the better,” Daryl said with a grin and rolled his eyes as Rick reached up to straighten his tie. 

 

Rick couldn’t help it, he really had made a mess of it. Suddenly he was determined to stand at that altar with this man.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

_Nine months ago…_

 

They spent the next two months getting to know each other. Really getting to know each other. Daryl hadn’t ever opened up to anyone as much as he had Rick, not even his brother. He was sure before it was over with Rick would know more about him than Merle ever had. It might have been because Rick was so damn easy to talk to, but mostly it was because Daryl wanted, needed, him to know these things. Besides, he didn’t feel like there was all that much to tell. 

 

He’d told him a little about his childhood without going into specifics or great detail. Rick was a cop and he wasn’t stupid. He’d seen his back plenty of times and although he’d never asked Daryl knew he could fill in the blanks on his own. 

 

That was another thing about Rick. He never pried or asked a lot of questions, and those he did ask he always made sure Daryl knew he didn’t have to answer if he didn’t want to. 

 

He told him about being the first Dixon, as far as they knew, to graduate high school. He’d been determined to finish, to do what he had to do to get out from under his family’s reputation. Even so, that reputation had still followed him and kicked him in the teeth from time to time.

 

He told him a little about Martinez and how they’d gotten together, although he didn’t say much because he didn’t think it was worth talking about. 

 

He’d even told him about his and Merle’s plans to open a garage one day if they could make it happen. The only other person he’d ever told was Martinez, and he’d only laughed and taken to calling it Daryl’s “pipe dream”. He’d never taken it seriously or believed that he could make it happen. So Daryl had never told another soul.

 

Not only had Rick not called it a pipe dream, he believed in him and he told him so. He even offered to do whatever he could to help when (not if) the time came.

 

He’d spent a lot of time, probably more than he should have, thinking about the seven months he wasted with that jackass. It wasn’t about comparing him to Rick or Rick to him. Hell, there was no comparison. If Martinez lived to be a hundred and five he’d never be half the man Rick was. 

 

It was more about Rick showing him what was possible, what it could really be like, in order for him to see that he and Martinez had been nothing. He finally realized that being angry over nothing was a waste of time, so he let it go. 

 

And he had to say, being with Rick was really something. Anybody would think the man was trying to spoil him with all the little, seemingly insignificant things he did, but Daryl didn’t think it was that at all. It was just who Rick was. He took care of the people he cared about and those little things were just part of that.

 

Like the fact that he’d taken the time to learn that Daryl liked his coffee black and his eggs sunny side up, that he didn’t like peanut butter and he hated lettuce on a burger. Or the time early on when he’d come home and found the empty beer bottle he used for an ashtray on the deck gone and an actual ashtray in its place (and one hidden on the front porch as well).

 

The time Daryl’s favorite shampoo and soap, along with a bottle of waterproof lube, had appeared in Rick’s shower. Rick just shrugged if off and explained that if he decided to shower downstairs it didn’t make sense to have to go upstairs to get that stuff. 

 

The time he spilled beer on his leather vest, grumbling about it messing up the leather if he couldn’t figure out how to get it clean. Three days later Rick brought it back from the dry cleaner’s looking good as new. Shit, Daryl had never used a dry cleaner in his life. 

 

And he couldn’t lie. The sex was incredible. He never knew it could be like that; it was just one more thing Rick had shown him. He was pretty sure they’d christened every room in the house - and the deck and garage - more than one time. They’d even made use of the front porch once. The only room Rick refused to have sex in was the living room, explaining that it had been his mom’s favorite room, her pride and joy. Daryl thought that might have been the sweetest thing he’d ever heard. 

 

The only thing he wouldn’t do was spend an entire night in Rick’s bed. He wanted to, and it had happened a few times by accident, but he didn’t do it if he could help it. He told Rick that he didn’t want to get in the habit and slip up when Carl was there, and that was the truth. But he was only willing to admit to himself for now that he didn’t want to get too comfortable, too attached. He was still looking for his own place whenever he could get his hands on the want ads. Rick had never said otherwise and he hadn’t expected to stay even this long when he moved in. 

 

Maybe he was being a little picky. Nothing close to town, nothing too far from Rick, nothing too big if it was just him. But he was mostly still looking.

 

There was also the matter of the annulment hanging over their heads. It didn’t put a damper on anything and things were good between them. They’d brought it up a few times even if those times had gotten fewer and farther between. But it was there. Like a big ol’ elephant in the room, it was there.

 

Rick didn’t think he’d ever enjoyed getting to know someone as much as he enjoyed getting to know Daryl. It was a little bit of a challenge at first to pull more than a few words about himself out of him, but once Daryl saw that there was no judgment from him and that he could trust him he’d opened up about a lot of things that he knew weren’t easy for him to talk about. 

 

He’d told him about being determined to finish high school. He’d told him about plans to open a garage with his brother one day, explaining that he and Merle had been working on cars and bikes since they were barely more than kids and had both been saving for a couple of years now. He talked about how his ex had pretty much shot that down, tried to make him feel like he wasn’t capable or worthy of having it. 

 

Rick still wanted to kick that guy’s ass. 

One of the hardest things for him to talk about had been his childhood. He’d seen his back and naturally he’d wondered. He’d been on one too many domestic calls not to. He’d never asked and he’d hoped that wasn’t the reason. He’d preferred to assume it was an accident on the bike or getting stuck up in the woods somewhere. 

 

Even knowing deep down hadn’t prepared him for hearing Daryl say it, though and it had made him admire and respect Daryl even more. With everything he’d been through Rick still thought he was a better man than he himself would probably ever be. 

 

With as good as things were between them, though, it bothered Rick that Daryl still wouldn’t spend a whole night in his bed. It seemed like such a silly thing, still he couldn’t help that it stung a little. He’d told him it was about Carl and Rick believed him and appreciated him for it. 

 

He thought it might be that Daryl was still looking for a place, he’d seen the want ads laying around from time to time, and he’d considered that he may not want to get into a habit that would be hard to break. He’d have been perfectly happy for Daryl to stay there and he’d told him more than once that there was no rush. 

 

He’d also considered that after his ex he might not be ready to live with someone like that just yet. It had made Rick stop to think whether he himself was ready for that but it was Daryl after all. He would absolutely live with Daryl. 

 

He thought there might be even more to it than that though, and he figured he knew what it was. 

 

He knew it needed to get done. There had honestly been times they were too busy to see to it, but there also may have been times when Rick just didn’t see to it. He knew he was putting off the inevitable but they still had three months. As good as things were between them, maybe it wouldn’t hurt for them to be a little more solid when they dissolved their so-called marriage. He couldn’t be sure that it would change anything between them; he didn’t see any reason why it should.

 

He just wasn’t ready to take a chance that it might.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Carl would be there Friday and they had plans for the whole weekend. Friday night they were planning on eating out and then taking Carl school shopping, although school didn’t start for another three weeks. On Saturday, Glenn, Maggie, Beth, Merle, and Carol were coming over for a cookout. Sunday they’d all be going to the farm for lunch which wasn’t especially unusual, but it had been a long time since Hershel and Annette had invited them all and they couldn’t help but wonder if something was up. They hoped there wasn’t bad news. 

 

Sometimes things don’t always go exactly as planned.

 

Saturday evening they were all sitting on the deck, stuffed to the gills and enjoying each other’s company. You might know Merle would be the one to bring it up. 

 

“So little brother, y’all get that marriage business all squared away?” he asked.

 

Rick and Daryl exchanged a glance.

 

“Well, what the hell are y’all waitin’ on? Ain’t got but a couple more months. Keep fuckin’ ‘round y’all gon’ be stuck with each other.” he laughed as he lit a cigarette and blew the smoke up and away.

 

“I still wish I’da been there to see that,” Beth said. “Some of those chapels in Vegas make a complimentary video for you, put it on a DVD and all. Too bad y’all didn’t get a video.”

 

Again, Rick and Daryl probably would have been better off not looking at each other at all. 

 

“Oh my Lord there is a video! How could you not tell us? How could you not show us?” Carol demanded.

 

 _“Wait, there’s a video for real?”_

 

 _“Ya gotta let us see it.”_

 

 _“We’ve kept your little secret, no fair not lettin’ us see it.”_

 

_“C’mon, little brother, I gotta see this.”_

 

“Ain’t no need for nobody to see nothin’,” Daryl said. “Ain’t exactly somethin’ to show off or be proud of…”

 

“...no offense,” he said to Rick.

 

“None taken,” Rick shrugged.

 

“Jus’ wasn’t our finest moment,” Daryl clarified.

 

“Oh you really gotta let us see it now,” Glenn spoke up. 

 

Carl ran inside and was right back with Daryl’s phone. The one he’d left on the charger in the den. 

 

“Hey, dad? Didn’t you say there was a video on Daryl’s phone that some girl took?” He looked at Daryl. “Obviously you haven’t erased it,” he smirked. 

 

“Have I done somethin’ to piss ya off?” Daryl asked him.

 

“Of course not. I just think you should share your happiness with your family is all,” Carl replied and Daryl thought his smartass grin looked an awful lot like the one his dad got from time to time. 

 

Suddenly that tiny studio apartment over the pharmacy smack in the middle of town was looking real good.

 

“Really, Rick?” Daryl looked to him for a little help.

 

“You know they won’t shut up about it until they’ve seen it,” Rick said.

 

Daryl looked at his phone. “I’m such an idiot,” he sighed. 

 

“You said it, not me,” Rick smirked.

 

“Ya know, mama and daddy know y’all are roommates, but I bet they’d be shocked to find out the whole story,” Maggie said innocently.

 

Rick leaned forward. “Yeah, and they’d probably be shocked to find out their oldest daughter got hauled in for public intoxication the night of her engagement party.” 

 

Daryl leaned forward. “Prob’ly even more shocked to find out what I caught their sweet baby girl doin’ in the hayloft with that prick farmhand, Zach.” Daryl arched an eyebrow at her.

 

“Daryl Dixon ya wouldn’t dare!” Beth gaped at him.

 

“Ain’t that how this tattle tellin’ thing works, girl?” he asked.

 

“Ain’t nobody gotta tell nothin’,” Merle spoke up. “Y’alls little truth’s gonna catch up with ya quick enough ya don’t do somethin’ ta fix it.” 

 

In the end, Daryl gave in and they’d all sat huddled around his phone watching them make fools of themselves while he and Rick quietly sipped their beers and rolled their eyes.

 

Merle and Glenn laughed harder than they had the first time, Maggie and Beth somehow found parts of it sweet, and Carl made it clear the best part was seeing his dad doubled over in the bushes. Carol was just thankful Sophia was spending the night with a friend. While she found it funny, she was sure it wasn’t something her daughter needed to see. 

 

Eventually, the jokes died down. Mostly. Merle went on and on about how pretty Daryl looked with a flower in his hair and if Daryl never had to listen to his brother sing Burning Love again it would be too soon. They had all finally decided to call it a night and as much as they both loved them, by that time they were glad to see them go. 

 

As usual when Carl was there, they waited until he was upstairs and asleep before Daryl came down to join Rick in his bed. They were both worn out from a busy week and a busier weekend but they didn’t let that stop them. It slowed them down a little though, neither one having the energy to go at it like a couple of teenagers, and it didn’t take them long to fall asleep afterward.

 

Just before the sun came up Rick felt Daryl stir beside him, ready to make his escape upstairs. He usually slept through him getting up, but he was awake this time and dammit he wasn’t letting him leave if he could help it. Before Daryl could throw the covers back and sit up he rolled over to face him. 

 

“Stay,” he said quietly.

 

“Didn’t mean to wake ya up,” Daryl said and moved to sit up. 

 

Rick laid a hand on his arm. “Please stay, Daryl.” 

 

“But Carl…”

 

“Carl’s asleep upstairs,” Rick cut him off gently. “You know we’ll be awake before he is anyway. If it’ll make you feel better I’ll talk to him about it, but I don’t think he’s gonna care one way or the other. Only if you want to stay, though. Unless there’s another reason you don’t.”

 

The pale sliver of moonlight that slipped in between the curtains barely afforded enough light for Rick to make out the general shape of Daryl beside him, but he could practically hear him mulling it over. He didn’t make him wait long.

 

He settled back down in bed and moved in close to Rick. “I wanna stay. But if Carl ain’t okay with it, I won’t.”

 

“Fair enough,” Rick whispered and leaned in to kiss him softly. 

 

They didn’t go back to sleep. 

 

They usually made a big breakfast on Sunday mornings when Carl was there, but they’d opted to keep it simple that morning since they knew they’d have a huge lunch at the farm.

 

They were sitting at the table with their cereal when Rick decided to get it out of the way. Carl knew they were together; he hadn’t kept that from him either. He wasn’t sure if he knew how “together” they were but Daryl was right. If Carl wasn’t okay with it, he wouldn’t feel right having Daryl in his bed all the time.

 

“I need to ask you somethin’, Carl,” he started.

 

Carl looked up from his bowl of cereal and waited, his eyes still sleepy.

 

“I want to know how you’d feel about Daryl sleepin’ in my room,” he said simply, seeing no reason not to get to the point.

 

Daryl hadn’t looked up from his bowl but when Carl barked out a laugh he looked over in time to see him deliver the most dramatic eye roll he thought he’d ever seen.

 

“Thank God! I’d say it was about time,” the teen answered.

 

Rick looked at Daryl then back to Carl. “Do what now?”

 

“Come on, dad. I’m fourteen not brain dead. Don’t you think it’s a little silly for Daryl to be sneakin’ up and down the stairs every time I’m here?” he rolled his eyes again. 

 

“How’d ya…?” Daryl started.

 

“Fourteen, not brain dead,” was all he said. 

 

Rick and Daryl looked at each other and shrugged. Alright then. With that settled they finished their breakfast.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Just before noon, they left for the farm. They’d only been there together once a few weeks after Daryl moved in. Annette had been thrilled that “her boys” had finally met, not understanding in the least how it hadn’t happened sooner. All she and Hershel knew was that they’d met by chance in New Orleans (“Well of all things!”) and Rick had offered him a place to stay “after that awful man treated that sweet boy that way”. They felt bad for hiding the truth, but they would have the annulment soon enough and nobody else would ever have to know.

 

What they both failed to remember was that Annette was sharp as a tack. She didn’t miss a thing and Hershel usually wasn’t far behind her. They must have also forgotten that she was like a dog with a bone and had ways of finding things out. 

 

When the food was on the table they’d taken their seats and bowed their heads as Hershel said the blessing. As usual, for the first few minutes around the Greene table the only sounds were those of silverware scraping against plates, ice clinking in glasses and praises to the cook as everyone dug in. 

 

After a few minutes, Annette spoke up. “So, how are you boys gettin’ along livin’ in the same house?” she asked.

 

Rick wiped his mouth and said, “Gettin’ along just fine. It’s workin’ out real well.”

 

“Well, that’s good, real good. Ya know I still can’t get over how y’all met way out there in New Orleans when we’ve all known each other for so long. It’s the strangest thing.” she said.

 

“Yeah, crazy isn’t it?” Maggie interjected. 

 

The smalltalk started then. Hershel talked about the cow that was ready to give birth any time, Glenn asked Carl if he was ready for school to start, Annette reminded the girls about the bake sale at church, the usual. 

 

Then Annette circled back around. “So, Daryl, are ya still plannin’ to get your own place or are ya gonna stay on with Rick?” 

 

Daryl swallowed the bite of roast in his mouth thickly and answered her without really answering. “I been lookin’. Prob’ly coulda been lookin’ harder, but I been lookin’.” 

 

“Well, there’s always time.” she said. 

 

“I’ve told him he can stay as long as he wants. There’s no rush,” Rick said.

 

“Well of course ya have. You’re such a sweet man, Rick. Always so good to everybody,” she beamed.

 

Rick thought they were all innocent questions until he caught the look that passed between Maggie and Beth. He looked at Daryl and thought he had seen it, too. He wondered if he should be worried. He probably should have been worried.

 

“Ya know, Rick, sister Sarah was back at church today. She’s been gettin’ over that awful flu, ya know” just like that she seemed to change the subject. 

 

“Well, that’s real good. I’m glad she’s doin’ better,” Rick said.

 

“Her niece, Emily, was there with her. You remember Emily don’t ya? Real pretty, about your age?” she asked sweetly.

 

Daryl wasn’t sure where this was going. He also wasn’t sure if he was going to like it.

 

“Yes ma’am, I remember her. Haven’t seen her in years, though. She doin’ okay?” he asked.

 

“Oh yes, she’s doin’ real good. Seems she’s movin’ back to King County to live with her aunt, help take care of her and all.” Still just as innocent as a lamb.

 

Rick was beginning to get a little uneasy. Still, what choice did he have but to play along? “That’s real sweet of her. She always did think the world of her aunt Sarah. When you see her again, tell her I said hello.” He thought that would be the end of it.

 

He knew Annette so he really should have known better. He should have known where this was going. She was the sweetest woman on earth, but oh, could she be sneaky.

 

Her face lit up, “Oh she’ll be all settled in next week, workin’ over at the clinic in town. Maybe ya should stop in and say hello in person,” she smiled sweetly. “In fact, why don’t ya ask her to supper? Ya know she went through that awful divorce a few years back. Y’all would make the sweetest couple.”

 

Daryl almost choked on his biscuit. 

 

Rick’s hand rested on his tea glass and he stared at his plate, only now feeling foolish for not seeing that coming. She’d used interrogation 101 on him and he’d walked right into it.

 

Daryl finally looked around the table to see all eyes on Rick. Maggie and Beth were frozen in place and he had no idea what Glenn was so red-faced for, he wasn’t the one in the hot seat after all. Carl had a mouthful of food but had stopped chewing, looking like a squirrel grinning with its cheeks full of nuts. 

 

The only one that hadn’t missed a beat was Hershel, sitting at the end of the table still shoving food in his mouth. Even so, Daryl could see the corners of his mouth barely tipped up in a smug grin. Well shit.

 

“I uh...I appreciate that, Annette, but I don’t think I’ll be askin’ anybody out,” Rick said, not really sure what else to say.

 

“Oh well, why not? Handsome young man like yourself? No reason to sit around all alone,” she reasoned. “Unless of course...you’re not already seein’ somebody are ya, Rick?”

 

“Well...I’m...not exactly, but…” Rick crossed his fingers under the table - a grown man crossing his fingers under the table - before he opened his mouth to lie to the woman that was the closest thing to a mama he had. 

 

“I don’t understand,” Annette was clearly confused. Or not. “Either ya are or ya aren’t. Are ya seein’ someone? Is it someone we know?” she asked.

 

“Mama please tell me ya didn’t already say somethin’ to Emily. Ya didn’t, did ya?” Beth asked.

 

“Well of course not, Bethie. I would never do that. Besides, Rick’s a grown man, quite capable of askin’ her himself,” Annette dismissed her youngest daughter with a wave of her hand and turned her attention back to Rick.

 

Daryl couldn’t take it anymore. Rick was sinking fast and he knew it didn’t help that he had no idea how Daryl would want him to answer, how much he would want him to say. He knew there was no way they could tell them everything but they had to tell them something. It wasn’t fair for Rick to be the only one put on the spot. So he took a deep breath, preparing himself for the possibility of Annette’s wrath, and maybe Hershel’s, and spoke up.

 

“He’s not actually seein’ somebody...not exactly,” Daryl said. He could see the surprise on Rick’s face from the corner of his eye but he looked across the table at Carl instead. He’d learned his lesson about looking at Rick last night.

 

“May I be excused...to uh...go to the restroom?” Carl spoke up. Rick looked at his son and he wasn’t fooled for a minute. Carl no more had to use the bathroom than he did, although he’d loved to be excused, too. The look on his face said he was about to lose it and he had to appreciate him trying to get away from the table before he did.

 

When Daryl heard the door to the half bath down the hall close and with all eyes on him now, even Hershel’s, he bit the bullet and continued. He just hoped he wasn’t going to hell wearing gasoline underpants for lying to these people that had been so good to him.

 

“We uh…we’re….” he stammered.

 

“You’re what, Daryl?” She might have asked sweetly but she was no longer fooling Daryl for a minute.

 

“Me an’ Rick’re married.” he finally blurted out.

 

Maggie let out a little squeak and they heard Carl coughing down the hall, then there was silence. There might as well have been a chorus of crickets in the background. Beth stared straight ahead and Hershel and Annette stared at him dumbfounded. If Glenn’s face got any redder Daryl was sure he was going to pass out in his plate. 

 

“Married?” Annette asked quietly. “Married. Well...I...I...I thought I knew for sure y’all were seein’ each other. When I ask my girls questions and they can’t look me in the eye or give me a straight answer I know somethin’s up. But married? When?”

 

Rick knew he should jump in and help Daryl and he felt terrible sitting there saying nothing. He had no way of knowing what Daryl was planning on telling them though, and at this point he was afraid he’d only make it worse. In the end, he was glad he stayed quiet. Daryl handled it better than he ever would have.

 

“Not long ago. We were gonna tell y’all but we wanted to...settle into it first,” he said. He felt like the worst person in the world for lying so smoothly to them, but he was sure they didn’t want to hear the whole truth. The longer they stayed quiet the more certain he became that at the very least they were going to ask them to leave.

 

Except she surprised them again.

 

“Well, I can’t say I expected that but ya won’t get any judgment from us.” She reached over and patted her husband’s hand, who had yet to say anything and he was never one to be speechless. “Me and Hershel were only together for four months before we were plannin’ our weddin’.” She smiled at both of them, genuinely this time and that only added to their guilt. “I just wish I’d known. We would’ve been so happy to put together a weddin’ for ya’ll.”

 

And the guilt tripled.

 

“We know you would,” Rick finally spoke. “It was just so sudden there really wasn’t time to plan anythin’.” At least that wasn’t a lie.

 

“Well, I guess when ya know, ya know,” she said.

 

“Yes ma’am,” they answered in unison. 

 

Other than best wishes and finally a few words from Hershel nothing else was said. Carl returned from the longest trip to the bathroom Rick had ever seen and they finished lunch. The men helped clear the table then went out to the porch while the ladies cleaned the kitchen, then they all gathered on the porch for peach cobbler. It was like any other Sunday lunch at the farm. 

 

An hour later as they were leaving Annette stopped them at the top of the porch stairs, pressing a kiss to each of their cheeks. 

 

“For the record Rick, I’d never set ya up with Emily. I’m not sure she’s good news at all. I hear she was the reason for her divorce and I would never do that to ya,” she smiled.

 

Yeah, sneaky.

 

As soon as they were in the truck Carl laughed and said, “Man, that was the best thing ever.” Rick shot him a look in the rearview mirror. “Sorry,” he mumbled, stuffing his earbuds in his ears and turning up his iPod to tune them out. 

 

“Prob’ly goin’ to hell for lyin’ to ‘em,” Daryl said. 

 

They both felt guilty as hell but Rick didn’t think they’d had a choice and he told Daryl as much. “Besides,” he added, “that sweet woman set us up.”

 

“Yeah, she sure did,” Daryl said and he looked thoughtful. “Set us up more’n she knows.”

 

“What do you mean?” Rick asked.

 

“Shoulda left it at us datin’. Shoulda just told her we’s seein’ each other so she wouldn’t try playin’ matchmaker for ya,” he said. “I fucked up.” 

 

“I’m not upset you told them if that’s what you’re thinkin’, “ Rick assured him. “You told them as much of the truth as you could.”

 

“Too much truth, Rick.”

 

“How’s that?” Rick was confused.

 

“Told ‘em we’re married. Now what’re we gonna tell ‘em when we ain’t married no more?” Daryl asked with an edge to his voice.

 

Rick sighed heavily. Shit, he hadn’t thought of that. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You really have to watch those sweet southern mamas. They're the one's that'll get you. :)


	8. Inevitability

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I guess Annette was right, when ya know, ya know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't thank y'all enough for the reads, kudos and kind words! They make me happy! :)
> 
> Another long chapter. Surely we can accomplish something....

Daryl saw Rick the minute he stepped into the doorway, of course he did, and damn but his husband was handsome. He didn’t miss where his eyes landed either. He couldn’t help thinking about the first time he’d caught Rick in a mirror staring at his ass - because it sure hadn’t been the last.

 

And he couldn’t resist when he said, “Ya gonna stand there an’ stare at my ass all day?”

 

He suddenly felt calmer than he had since Rick drove away from the farm last night. Still, when he’d told Rick to kiss him he’d been hoping for a little more than what he got. On the other hand, Annette already wasn’t going to be too happy if she found Rick in here. They sure didn’t need her walking in on something she didn’t want to see.

 

“I could, yeah,” Rick grinned and stepped into the room. “It looks really good in those pants.” He knew it would be best to make this quick. The longer he stood there with Daryl, the more he wanted to walk over and close the door. And lock it. He was beginning to see the wisdom in keeping them separated. “Are you sure you still want to do this?” he asked.

 

“Hell yeah,” Daryl said without missing a beat.

 

Rick smiled. “Are you nervous?”

 

“Hell yeah.” Daryl took a deep breath.

 

“Have you figured out what you’re gonna say?” Rick asked.

 

Daryl blew out the breath he’d just taken. “Hell no.”

 

Rick couldn’t help laughing a little at his clipped answers. “Me neither,” he confessed. “It’ll be fine though. I figure I’ll just say whatever I’m feeling when we’re standing there. You don’t have to give a speech. I don’t care if you just say ‘I love you’ and leave it at that.”

 

“Ya a’ready know that,” Daryl said.

 

“Yeah,” Rick grinned, “but I still like to hear it.”

 

He’d really only meant to give Daryl another quick kiss, what resolve he had left was only going to take him so far. Daryl had other ideas. He wrapped an arm around Rick and kissed him in that way he did that was entirely inappropriate for the circumstances.

 

Daryl knew better than to get either one of them started but he couldn’t help it. Not for the first time he was nearly overwhelmed when he thought about how lucky he was to have Rick, how much he loved him, and how close they might have come to not having this at all. 

 

Daryl wasn’t much of a talker, he had always been better at showing and he tried hard to put everything he was feeling into that kiss. If the way Rick kissed him back was any indication, he’d heard him loud and clear.

 

Daryl might not be the best with talking, but he had thanked his lucky stars everyday for the last six months that he had managed to use his words when it counted or they might not be doing this at all.

 

“Keep that up and the ceremony’s gonna start late.” Rick licked his lips, still tingling from the kiss.

 

“Can’t have that,” Daryl said, reaching down to adjust his dick in his pants. “Somebody said we gotta get on the road pretty quick. Where ya takin’ me anyway?” he asked casually.

 

“On a trip. But good try.” Rick laughed.

 

“Asshole,” Daryl muttered. 

 

Rick looked at his watch. “Only ten more minutes. I’d better get back in the kitchen before we get caught.”

 

Someone cleared their throat behind them and they both froze.

 

Too late.

 

“I should’ve known better than to trust Maggie and Merle to keep an eye on you two,” Annette said. They were relieved to see that she wasn’t upset. If anything she looked amused.

 

“Sorry,” they both mumbled sheepishly.

 

She waved them off. “Oh, I don’t guess there’s any harm done. Besides, this one was a mess of nerves, probably did him a world of good to see ya,” she patted Daryl’s cheek and smiled at Rick. “At least Maggie made y’all leave the door open.” She smiled knowingly at them and they both looked down at the floor, the heat rising in their cheeks.

 

“How ya know it was her an’ not me?” Merle asked innocently as he and Maggie came into the room.

 

Annette turned to him and arched an eyebrow. “Because you would’ve locked them in, Merle.”

 

Merle tried his best to look offended but couldn’t keep the grin off his face as Maggie stuck her tongue out at him from behind her mama’s back.

 

Annette turned back to Rick and Daryl. “Ya both look so handsome,” she gushed and immediately started brushing invisible lint from their shoulders and arms and fussing with their ties. Daryl fought the urge to roll his eyes and swore he was setting fire to his as soon as it came off.

 

She stepped back for a last look and pointed at Daryl’s arms. “Daryl, honey, what happened to those sleeves?” The others looked at him and waited for his answer, anxious to see who would win this one. Their money was on Annette.

 

“Rolled ‘em up. Can’t stand ‘em all buttoned up ‘round my arms,” he shrugged.

 

She sighed wearily. “Well, I reckon I should be thankful ya didn’t just rip them clean off.” Merle snickered behind her. “And I reckon I’ve put y’all through enough already. If Rick’s okay with it that’s all that matters.”

 

“I’m fine with it,” Rick assured her. “As long as he’s comfortable I don’t mind.”

 

_Well damn_ , Merle thought.

 

She smiled and patted his cheek as well then Beth stepped into the room. “It’s time. We’re ready to start if y’all are,” she told them.

 

“Well then, let’s go get y’all married,” she beamed.

 

“Agin’,” Merle said, cackling as he followed the ladies out of the room.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

_Six months ago…_

 

 

Merle showed up at their house unexpectedly on a Friday afternoon to find Daryl in the back yard on the lawn mower, glad to see that Rick was at work and Carl was at his mom’s. He wanted to talk to Daryl alone.

 

He’d come to give him the news that his boss, Dale, had decided to retire sooner than he’d planned and he’d asked Merle if the brothers still wanted their own place. Daryl didn’t even know that Dale knew about that. Apparently, when he’d started talking about retiring a year ago Merle had told him their plans. 

 

Since then, Merle had worked harder than Daryl would have ever imagined learning the ins and outs of the place - keeping the books, inventory, getting to know the vendors - whatever it took to learn how to run his own garage. 

 

Dale had been the only one to take a chance on Merle and he hadn’t given up on him. Now he was offering Merle first shot at buying his place. Daryl was stunned. Impressed, but stunned. 

 

_“Gotta let ‘im know pretty quick, little brother. It’s yer call. Dale’s place or keep savin’ til we find somethin’ ta make our own. Jus’ can’t do it without ya. Wouldn’t anyhow, knowin’ how bad ya want it.”_

 

_Daryl nodded and grinned. “I’m in.”_

 

Between what Daryl had been saving for the last few years, money sitting in a savings account that Merle had told him was from an insurance settlement when somebody cut him off on his bike (Daryl still wasn’t sure about that but he never asked), and what Merle had been adding to it, they were still just shy of the down payment they needed, but they didn’t think it was impossible.

 

Rick had come home an hour later to find them huddled over a notebook at the kitchen table, and Merle had watched his face light up when Daryl told him the news.

 

He’d been watching a lot lately. He didn’t miss how Rick treated his brother or the way he looked at him when he thought nobody was paying attention. Not for the first time, he wondered the same thing they’d all been wondering. When were these two idiots finally going to figure out what the rest of them already knew?

 

Later that night Rick told Daryl about the bulk of his parent’s life insurance that he still had and offered to help, but Daryl had turned him down, insisting he keep it for Carl. 

 

Daryl had shared his plans with Abe and for the next three weeks, Rick watched him work from early morning until as late as Abe could work him and all day on Saturdays. He’d come home so tired Rick would have to almost argue with him to get him to eat.

 

Near the end of the third week, they’d been lying in bed when Rick offered again. 

 

_“Daryl, please let me help you. You’re killin’ yourself workin’ like this. I’m worried about you is all.”_

 

_“I’m fine, jus’ tired. Told ya I ‘preciate it but me an’ Merle gotta do this on our own. Our dad always made sure we knew we were nothin’ an’ nobody, an’ wouldn’t never be. Even after he died folks never expected anythin’ diff’rent outta us. We’re gonna show ‘em they were wrong an’ we don’t want nobody sayin’ anybody handed us anythin’.”_

 

Rick had never seen anyone as determined to make something happen as Daryl was. He didn’t like the way he was going about it, but he got it. 

 

 

Daryl had come home from work the next day in a mood. It was three o’clock on Friday and they’d been rained out, he’d busted his knuckles putting up a scaffold, and he was starving because he’d worked through lunch. And then Merle had called to tell him that Dale’s wife had been diagnosed with cancer and he was retiring even sooner than he thought. He needed to sell now, which meant Merle and Daryl wouldn’t be the buyers. One more thing dangled in front of his face then snatched away. 

 

He was finishing a sandwich and glaring at the notebook lying on the table when Rick came in. He knew the minute he looked at him something had gone wrong. Daryl gave him the bad news and got up to take his plate to the sink and Rick didn’t know what to say. He went to him and pulled him into a hug, mostly because he couldn’t stand the look of disappointment in his eyes.

 

He wanted to make the offer again but he knew that now was definitely not the time. Daryl would only refuse anyway. 

 

_“I’m sorry, Daryl. I know how bad you both wanted this. Somethin’ will come along. We’ll find a place, probably sooner than you think. You’ll see.”_

 

_Daryl hadn’t missed that ‘we’. He put a smile on his face and pulled back to look at Rick._

 

_“Ya might as well be wearin’ one a them cheerleader outfits, ya know that?” Daryl asked with a half-hearted grin._

 

_Rick thought it over and looked down. “Not sure I could pull it off with these legs.”_

 

_“Depends.” Daryl shrugged._

 

_“On...?” Rick asked._

 

_“Whether ya’s wearin’ anythin’ under that short little skirt or not. ‘Cause if ya ain’t, I ain’t gonna be payin’ any attention to ya legs,” he smirked._

 

Rick had turned to leave the kitchen and noticed the message light blinking. The message was for Daryl, from an attorney in Atlanta. He was calling about some land just north of the city owned by one Jess Dixon. 

 

Daryl remembered the land but he thought Jess had sold it a long time ago, long before he died eight years ago. It was only four o’clock so he took a chance and called the number back.

 

He had been stunned speechless to find out that he and Merle had inherited the land - twenty-five acres - when Jess had died. No one had told them a thing. The state had plans to build a highway right through the middle of it and was prepared to offer them a six figure sum in order to gain their right of way. 

 

Daryl had immediately called Merle, who was just as shocked as Daryl had been. The following Tuesday Rick had gone with them to Atlanta, and by the end of the day Daryl had reached out with trembling fingers to accept a check for more money than he ever thought he’d see in his lifetime as he sent up a silent thank you to their uncle Jess.

 

Thanks to Dale’s faith in them and his preparedness, things moved quickly and by the end of the week, the brothers owned their own garage.

 

The next six weeks went by in a blur. Rick’s lawyer had recommended a business attorney, some guy with a mullet that was weird and quirky but smart as hell. They’d taken care of deeds, permits, insurance and every other legal thing Daryl never knew existed. They’d helped Dale move his personal tools and equipment and updated some of the older stuff. Dale’s mechanics, Tyreese and Jim, agreed they wanted to work for the brothers so that had saved them the hassle of hiring. A new sign was installed, Dixon Brothers Automotive, and it finally felt real to Daryl. 

 

The grand reopening had gone better than they could have hoped for, with a steady stream of business from open to close. 

 

With everything else that was going on, something else had happened in that six weeks as well.

 

The time to get the annulment had run out. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Daryl was worn out but he was more content than he ever thought he’d be. He and Merle had agreed that they’d alternate working Saturdays and each take a day off during the week, and they were closed on Sundays. It was Friday afternoon when Daryl came dragging through the back door after having spent most of the day doing yard work. He’d felt bad over these last weeks for being so busy and Rick having to handle it himself, so he’d made sure not to leave anything for Rick to have to do.

 

He opted for a bottle of water instead of beer for now and as he turned from the fridge to go shower he saw the light blinking on the answering machine. Without much thought, he played the message and immediately wished he hadn’t.

 

It was Rick’s lawyer - again - only it wasn’t just a friendly reminder. He was calling to tell Rick that the papers had to be filed by the following Monday or the marriage would stand.

 

He pressed a button to keep the message as new and the light blinking so Rick would get it when he came in. With a heavy sigh he walked back to the bedroom he now shared with Rick to take a shower. Not long after they’d bought the garage Rick had convinced him to stay and move his things downstairs. He’d said he wanted him to share his home and his bedroom, not just his bed. 

 

That man was a smooth talker when he wanted to be.

 

He stripped out of his dirty clothes but instead of turning on the shower he slammed the lid to the toilet closed and sat down heavily, fidgeting with the towel in his hands. They only had three days left.

 

In all honesty, the lawyer had left three other messages that Daryl hadn’t told Rick about. They’d all said the same thing and in fairness, he legitimately forgot about one of them. As for the other two, at the time he’d justified it by telling himself that the guy wasn’t saying anything they didn’t already know, but that may not have been the whole truth of it. 

 

He sat twisting and untwisting the towel in his hands, trying hard to convince himself that everything would stay the same after those papers were filed, and he really didn’t have any reason to think anything would change. They were what they were and for the most part, Daryl never put any sort of label on what they had, married, dating, living together, boyfriends or otherwise.

 

Still, deep down he felt like it would change something. It may have been a dumb mistake they didn’t even remember making but it was how they started. It was what brought them to where they were now. 

 

He was nearly convinced that nothing would have worked out for him like it did if he hadn’t met Rick. He seemed to be the catalyst for all of it and he couldn’t help thinking that none of it would have fallen in line like it had if Rick hadn’t come along.

 

Maybe it wouldn’t change what they were now, but he didn’t think it was unreasonable to feel like it would take a piece of them away and his chest tightened almost painfully at the thought.

 

He wanted to blame himself for letting it happen at all but he didn’t think he’d ever had a choice. He’d fallen in love with his husband. 

 

Almost from the start if he was being honest, although he didn’t think he really realized it until the day he thought they’d lost the garage. Something as simple as Rick saying ‘we’ and not ‘you’ and he’d known for sure.

 

And really, how could he not?

 

For the last six months, Rick had been his rock whether he knew it or not. He had faith in him and believed in him so much that he made Daryl believe in himself and no one had ever done that for him before. When something good happened Rick was the first person he wanted to tell, and if things went wrong Rick was the first one to tell him it would be okay and make him believe that, too.

 

Even with his own job and a kid and a home to take care of, Rick had worked tirelessly right alongside them to get the garage ready and help them make it their own. The pride he’d seen on Rick’s face the day that sign went up meant more to him than Rick would ever know.

 

He made Daryl feel more loved than he ever had in his life. He’d always told himself he never wanted to get married, but he’d marry Rick in a minute. Well, if they weren’t already. So why not stay married in the first place?

 

Because he didn’t know if Rick would marry him. Just like the night they’d met, it didn’t matter what he wanted if Rick didn’t want it too. Then again, he’d never know what he wanted if he didn’t ask. The only thing stopping him was his fear of what his answer might be.

 

One thing he knew for sure was that time was up. He was going to have to do what he should’ve already done. 

 

He was going to have to tell him how he felt.

 

With their bedroom and bathroom doors both open, Daryl heard Rick come in and shut the back door, then open and close the refrigerator. He heard the beep of the machine and the muffled voice of the lawyer. His bike was parked in the driveway and he knew Rick would come looking for him. His stomach was suddenly in knots.

 

It was now or never.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Rick sat in his patrol car on the edge of town, mostly hidden behind the big, handmade “fresh produce for sale” sign at the corner where Hilltop Road met the old state road. He was sure this had been the longest, most boring shift of his life.

 

One of the regular patrol officers was in the hospital with appendicitis and Rick had drawn the short straw. There was a problem with people speeding on the state road and running the stop sign coming off of Hilltop. It was a nearly blind curve where school buses traveled in the morning and afternoon, so that had been his duty for the day. Now he remembered why he’d hated regular patrol so much.

 

Usually it wouldn’t have bothered him that much except today his nerves were frazzled and he couldn’t keep his mind on the job. He couldn’t stop thinking that he only had three days left to make something happen. He only had two choices, and he couldn’t be sure which one was the right one.

 

The obvious choice was to go to his lawyer’s office on Monday and sign those papers. That’s what they’d planned to do all along and for one reason or another he’d never gotten around to it.

 

That was the obvious choice. He didn’t know if it was the right one, but he knew it wasn’t what he wanted. And he knew the reason, too.

 

He’d thought about it a lot over the last six months. He no longer believed that he just happened to meet Daryl in the bar that night. He believed there was a reason he’d stayed in New Orleans after he’d been ready to leave. He believed that his ride on that streetcar had been more than a spur of the moment thing and that Ms. Octavia had chosen to sit beside him for a reason. 

 

How could he not with Daryl sleeping beside him every night? He believed more than anything that he truly had been set on the path that was meant for him, and for Daryl. The very thought of taking away their beginning was tearing him up inside.

 

He could try justifying it any way he wanted, but he knew the real reason he hadn’t signed those papers was that he believed in his heart that Daryl was what he had been missing. He was in love with the stranger he’d married by accident.

 

Except he wasn’t a stranger anymore. 

 

He was Daryl. He was kind and generous and smart and loyal and sweet. He laughed quietly when he remembered what Merle had told him when he’d found out they were together, really together.

 

_“He’s always been the sweet one, my baby brother. Ya treat ‘im right, Friendly. Don’t make me hafta tell ya twice.”_

 

He’d never known how to treat him any other way and sometimes it still felt like he fell short. That man had paid his dues in spades and Rick didn’t have much to give him, but he was willing to give him every last thing he had if that’s what it took for Daryl to know he was a good man that deserved good things.

 

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, admitting to himself that the one thing he hadn’t given him was the truth. Above everything else, Daryl deserved to know he was loved. What bothered him more than anything was the thought that if he hadn’t told Daryl the truth, wasn’t that the same as lying to him? That didn’t sit well with him at all.

 

He’d known it for a while. That night in the kitchen when Daryl had been fussing at him about potatoes of all things, he’d kissed him and his heart had tipped completely off balance. He couldn’t say for sure that was the exact moment he’d fallen in love with him, he wasn’t sure anybody ever really knew that. 

 

Regardless of when it happened, he’d finally admitted it to himself the night they were in bed and Daryl had again turned down his offer of help with buying the garage. When he’d explained why they had to do it themselves, and when he’d realized exactly what kind of man Daryl was in spite of everybody and everything that had tried to make him otherwise, he’d realized that he was completely in love with him.

 

He knew as sure as he was sitting there not paying attention to the traffic going by that if they weren’t already married, he would marry Daryl in a heartbeat. And if that was the case, he didn’t see why they didn’t just stay married to begin with.

 

Except Daryl had told him that he never wanted to get married, and he had no reason to think he’d changed his mind.

 

So he had two choices. The obvious one or the right one. Actually he had a third, which really wasn’t a choice at all.

 

He had to tell him how he felt.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The house was quiet, but the freshly mowed grass, the pristine trim, and the lawnmower cooling in the driveway told him he’d find Daryl in either their bedroom or their bathroom. 

 

He followed the silence down the hallway, expecting to hear the shower running the closer he got but he didn’t. Instead, he was surprised to find Daryl sitting naked on the closed lid of the toilet, staring at the floor and wringing a towel in his hands. He leaned on the door frame and waited, but he didn’t look up.

 

“Hey,” he finally spoke. When Daryl still didn’t answer he said, “Are you okay? Is everything okay?”

 

He didn’t like the way Daryl scrubbed his hands through his hair in frustration, and when he finally looked up there was worry etched on his face and something that looked awfully close to sadness in his eyes. Rick knew Daryl was aware of their deadline and he suddenly didn’t have a good feeling about where this was going.

 

Daryl couldn’t read the look in Rick’s eyes. It wasn’t one he’d ever seen and he didn’t think it was good. He was leaning casually against the doorway but he could tell he was anything but relaxed, every line of his body tense. He had a sinking feeling he had his answer before he even asked. So why even bother?

 

Because he wanted to hear it. Maybe that made him a glutton for punishment but if Rick didn’t want to be married to him he wanted to hear him say it. And he was determined that Rick was gonna know how he felt either way. He stood up and took a couple of steps towards him then stopped, still wringing the towel in his hands.

 

Rick didn’t think he’d ever seen Daryl this nervous and worked up since he’d met him. He was pretty sure that he wasn’t going to like whatever he was about to say but he wished he’d just say it already. 

 

“What is it, Daryl? Just tell me,” he said. No sense standing there dragging it out. He pushed away from the door and went to stand in front of him.

 

Daryl met his eyes and took a deep breath, then said quietly, “I don’t want this, Rick.”

 

Rick felt like he’d been punched in the gut and he could barely draw a breath. Didn’t want this? Didn’t want what? The annulment? The marriage? Or did he mean he didn’t want them, period? He had no idea what he meant and it felt like his heart dropped to his stomach. 

 

He would’ve been able to accept that Daryl didn’t want to stay married, he’d told him that from the start, but he’d never prepared himself for the possibility that Daryl wouldn’t want to be with him anymore. If that’s how he felt there wasn’t a thing he could do except stand there and wait for him to break his heart.

 

“Don’t want what, Daryl? What is it you don’t want?” Rick asked. His tone was flat in an effort to keep his voice steady but there was an edge to it that caught Daryl’s attention.

 

Rick’s expression went from surprised to hurt to confused in a matter of seconds. He sounded more unsure than Daryl had ever heard him and he had no clue why until he thought about what he’d said. Or rather how it must have sounded.

 

“No, Rick...no...I didn’t mean...that didn’t...fuck,” he sighed heavily and started over. “Didn’t mean I don’t want this,” he motioned between the two of them. 

 

Rick felt a rush of relief so strong he thought his legs might give out at the same time that hope bloomed in his chest. He stepped forward when Daryl’s moved to raise his thumb to his mouth and took his hand, bringing it back down to his side.

 

“Then what is it you don’t want?” he asked again.

 

Daryl looked him in the eye when he said, “Don’t want the annulment, Rick.” He shrugged one shoulder nervously. “Jus’ need ya to know before we do it is all.”

 

“Know what?” Rick asked.

 

Daryl drew in another deep breath. “Ya gotta know I love ya. I’ll still do it if ya want but I…”

 

Rick closed the distance between them to cut him off with a kiss and Daryl’s eyes went wide. He hadn’t known what to expect but it hadn’t been this. He staggered back one step before Rick caught him around the waist and pulled him close, his other hand fisted in his hair while he thoroughly plundered his mouth.

 

Before he could properly kiss him back Rick pulled away. He pressed his forehead to Daryl’s and slightly out of breath whispered, “I love you, too.”

 

As much as he’d wanted to hear it he’d been afraid to hope. His brain was slow to shift gears and catch up to Rick’s unexpected confession after that kiss and he couldn’t be sure he’d heard him right.

 

“What?” he asked quietly.

 

Rick lifted his head to look at him and smiled that smile that got him every time. “I said I love you too, Daryl, and I don’t want it either.”

 

In a split second, Rick watched Daryl’s face go from pleasantly surprised to that look he knew by heart. The next second Daryl practically pounced and was kissing him breathless as he frantically tugged his uniform shirt from where it was tucked in his pants. He clearly didn’t have the patience for buttons and when he yanked it open Rick heard them ping off of the wall and rattle across the floor. 

 

“How come ya always got too many damn clothes on?” Daryl asked, nipping at his bottom lip then moving to feast on his neck with his teeth and tongue. 

 

Rick hissed at the sensation. “Maybe because every time I come home you’re naked,” he half moaned. 

 

He reached down to undo his belt but Daryl batted his hand away. One hand gripped his shoulder and the other was back in his hair in an effort to balance himself while Daryl whipped his belt open and then his pants, jerking them over his hips. 

 

“Stop talkin’ an’ get these pants off,” Daryl said.

 

Daryl wasn’t bossy or demanding by nature, but when he got like this Rick would do damn near anything he said. He toed out of his boots and socks as best he could without tipping over with Daryl’s hands still everywhere. 

 

His pants and boxers were wrapped around his ankles and he was struggling to get them off when Daryl leaned in and lapped his broad tongue across his nipple before sucking hard on it. He groaned loudly and nearly did fall then but Daryl quickly wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close enough for his steel-hard cock to drag along Rick’s own throbbing erection. 

 

Daryl grunted at the contact but didn’t let it slow him down as he slid his tongue between Rick’s already kiss-swollen lips and mumbled softly against his mouth, “Need ya…” 

 

He let out another soft grunt that morphed into a slow groan when Rick quickly spun him around, grabbing his ass with both hands and spreading him open to drag his stiff length across his entrance.

 

“What do you need...hmm? This?” Rick breathed out against the back of his neck and Daryl nearly pitched forward. He might have if Rick hadn’t hooked an arm around his chest to hold him up. 

 

“Mean it, Rick, need ya now,” he breathed out.

 

Rick grinned against the side of his neck and sucked once at the salty flesh as he walked Daryl over to the shower. Daryl turned in his arms and was kissing him greedily as Rick fumbled blindly with the shower door, then with the faucets to get the water on. Daryl stepped backwards into the shower, never breaking the kiss as he pulled Rick in with him, Rick pulling the door closed behind him. 

 

The water in the old house was slow to heat sometimes and Daryl hissed and flinched as the cool spray hit his back. He turned his upper body to reposition the showerhead and didn’t see Rick drop to his knees, letting out a startled gasp when his cock slid smoothly between Rick’s lips. He sighed loudly at the dual sensations of the cool water at his back and the warm, wet mouth already lapping and sucking on his cock.

 

“Jesus, Rick...dammit,” he swore and Rick heard the slap of his palms against the wet tile and the glass door. 

 

Daryl’s hips bucked forward, just as he’d expected, and Rick drew back only far enough to keep him from driving his dick down his throat. 

 

He’d learned early on that he’d never be able to take all of Daryl and that Daryl had very little self-control when Rick was sucking him off, so he’d also learned to anticipate and adjust accordingly. 

 

By the time Rick looked up at Daryl, the water was hot and steam was swirling thickly around him. His sweat-damp hair was sticking out wildly and his shoulders and chest practically sparkled with the light reflected from the droplets scattered there. His hands were braced against tile and glass to hold his balance, his biceps bulging with the effort, and Rick had the fleeting image of a Greek god standing tall and towering over him. He couldn’t help feeling privileged to be the one on his knees in front of him. 

 

Daryl looked down and almost wished he hadn’t, twitching hard in Rick’s mouth. Sometimes he was glad Rick couldn’t take all of him and now was one of those times. It gave him a perfect view of his cock slipping in and out of Rick’s plump lips stretched wide around him, his eyes turned up and boring straight into him with one hand stroking himself to match the bob of his head. 

 

The only thing that would have made it any better was being able to watch Rick’s tongue as it swirled around him, flicking across the sensitive nerves just below the swollen crown, the tip sliding and teasing along his slit. He could feel it though, fuck could he feel it, and it was going to have to stop because he had no intention of this ending with just a blowjob.

 

He widened his stance for balance and reached down to slide his fingers into damp curls. His grip was tight enough to leave a delicious sting and Rick moaned around his length.

 

Daryl grunted and jerked his hips. “Fuck...gotta stop...get up here.”

 

Reluctantly, Rick let him slide out of his mouth and couldn’t resist leaning in to mouth at his neglected balls. Daryl cursed under his breath again before pulling him to his feet. He wasted no time getting his tongue into Rick’s mouth and the low rumble in his chest told Rick he tasted himself there and loved it. 

 

Rick broke the kiss and slid around him to switch their positions. He turned Daryl to face the back wall of the shower and pulled one of his feet up to brace against the handy ledge that not for the first time he was grateful for. 

 

Daryl looked down at his cock standing thick and heavy, the head an angry purple. He gripped the base tightly to try and maintain some control, the swollen and stretched flesh hot against his palm from both the heat of the shower and his need for Rick. Probably more of the latter. 

 

A shiver of anticipation darted up his spine when he heard the pop of the cap on the little bottle of magic they kept in the corner, and it turned to a full-on shudder when he felt Rick’s slick finger circling and teasing.

 

Rick couldn’t have been more grateful that he’d enjoyed his husband just that morning. This wouldn’t take long and thank God for that because he wasn’t inclined to wait. 

 

In less than a minute, three fingers were pumping and twisting and softly nudging that sweet bundle of nerves that would have had Daryl’s hips bucking wildly if not for Rick’s arm wound firmly around his middle. 

 

“Dammit...Rick,” Daryl cursed. “Would ya quit teasin’ an’ jus’ please get on with it.”

 

Rick grinned and leaned in to kiss the back of his neck and his shoulder as he slid his fingers from him, rubbing lightly around the sensitive rim one last time before reaching down to line himself up. 

 

He teased the tip of his tongue along his ear, earning him a near-desperate whine and he chuckled as he whispered, “You always say please, even when you’re bein’ a demandin’ little shit,” and slid smoothly inside him with one roll of his hips. 

 

“Ahh...fuck...yes...” Daryl moaned, pushing his hips back to meet his thrusts and dropping his head to his forearm where it was braced against the wall. 

 

As much as Rick wanted to, he didn’t fuck him fast. His carefully controlled strokes were firm and deep as he kept his arm locked around Daryl’s waist to steady him. Skin slick from sweat as much as water slipped and slid, creating a deliciously smooth friction that left both men covered in goosebumps despite the heat of the shower.

 

They’d fucked a lot of ways - fast and frantic, sleepy and lazy, hard and dirty, they’d taken their time and rushed through a quickie - but it had never been like this. There was an urgency to Rick’s measured strokes, almost a desperation and Daryl finally knew what people meant when they said “making love”. 

 

He was dizzy with the intensity of it and it was an effort to stay on his feet. He was lost in the feel of Rick inside him, the delicious snap of his hips every time he drove into him and the near-overwhelming thought that this man loved him.

 

Rick’s short grunts and Daryl’s quiet, throaty moans drifted around them in chorus with the squeak of Daryl’s fingertips trying to find purchase on the wet tile, the small sounds pinging and echoing off the walls of their temporary haven. The thick curtain of steam gave the illusion that they were the only two people in the world and that suited Rick just fine.

 

As many times as he’d been inside this man, this time was decidedly different and for good reason. He thought Daryl knew it too because he let Rick set the pace and didn’t urge him to move faster or plead for harder, satisfied to roll his hips in time with his thrusts until they’d set a steady rhythm. 

 

It wasn’t long before Daryl reached down and grabbed his cock in a mostly loose grip. Rick watched as he kept his hand still, thrusting into his fist each time Rick pulled back. Fuck he could have watched that all day but he felt Daryl clenching and fluttering around him. He knew he was close - too close - and he wasn’t finished with him yet. He wasn’t ready for it to be over. 

 

He needed to pull Daryl back from the edge so he slid out of him and turned to shut the water off, earning him a mumbled “what the fuck?” and a dirty look over his shoulder. 

 

“Come on, come with me,” Rick said and pulled him out of the shower and towards the bedroom, not bothering with towels and careful not to slip on the wet floor. 

 

He led Daryl over to the bed, turning him to face it and nudging him to lay down on his stomach. Still dripping wet and neither of them caring much at the moment, Daryl grinned as he stretched out across the foot of the bed, knowing that Rick knew he loved it this way.

 

No more than a second later Rick joined him, settling himself across the backs of his thighs with his legs spread wide. Daryl opened his legs only far enough to allow Rick to slip back inside him, then pulled them together again with a satisfied sigh as Rick draped himself over Daryl’s back.

 

He settled into the same steady pace as before, Daryl lifting his ass to meet every rock of his hips. This was one of his favorite ways for Rick to take him. He loved the warm puffs of breath as he kissed and nipped at his neck and shoulders, the soft tickle of the sparse hair on his chest that sent shivers through him every time it grazed his back. Most of all he loved the feeling of being pinned beneath him. 

 

He knew very well he wasn’t trapped. One solid buck and it would be easy to roll him off and turn the tables. But fuck if he wanted to. The very idea of being face down and helpless while Rick had his way with him only drove his pleasure higher. 

 

Rick was propped on one elbow, his arm trembling with the effort of keeping his weight off of Daryl. His other hand grasped at his shoulder for leverage as he slid his lips and tongue along the other, the drag of his scruff causing Daryl’s wet skin to prickle with a fresh round of goosebumps. He moved up to kiss and suck at his neck, his words barely coherent as he whispered and mumbled against the sensitive flesh. 

 

“need you...love you...feel so fuckin’ good…” He slid his arm under Daryl’s and laced their fingers. “...love you so much...no lettin’ you go…”

 

Daryl’s forehead was pressed into the bed and the hand not being held was fisted in the blanket, knuckles pale as his fingers gripped it tighter. Rick’s soft breaths ghosted over his neck etching each sentiment into his skin, his words leaving a sweet ache in his chest that made it hard for him to breathe as tears pricked the corners of his eyes. 

 

He turned his head only far enough to see him and pulled their hands to his mouth, kissing the back of Rick’s. 

 

“love ya, Rick...mmm...not goin’ anywhere…” Any other words he might have had were lost in gasps and moans.

 

Daryl spread his legs enough to bend his knees, giving himself the leverage he needed to push his ass harder against Rick, at the same time allowing him room to grind his straining and leaking cock against the blanket. It wasn’t much, just enough friction to either afford him a little relief or push him headlong into release and it felt so fucking good he couldn’t tell which it would be. 

 

Heat pulsed through Rick’s veins to pool low in his belly and between his thighs, white hot and coiling tighter. He knew he was almost there and Daryl’s whispers and moans threatened to push him over into oblivion but he had no intention of going alone. He felt Daryl shift and his hips bucked up harder, then he felt him flutter and tighten around him and he knew he was there, too.

 

“Shit...m’gonna…fuck I can’t...I can’t…” Daryl groaned quietly, tightening his grip on Rick’s hand and pressing his forehead further into the blanket. 

 

“Then don’t,” Rick cut him off. He pressed his mouth to his ear and said quietly, “Just let go, sweetheart.”

 

Rick had never called him anything other than his name and he’d never cared much for pet names anyway. But that word uttered in Rick’s voice, low and gritty with arousal, was the push he needed and he let himself tumble over into pure bliss. With a groan that started low and got louder, he spilled over the blanket, his release smearing hot and sticky across his stomach with every grind of his hips. 

 

That’s all it took for Rick and he followed not a second later, panting and moaning Daryl’s name as he buried his face in his back and emptied into his husband with sharp, erratic thrusts. 

 

Husband. His husband. He repeated the words over and over in his head, loving the way they sounded. 

 

He stayed put, still keeping his weight off of Daryl as best he could with shaky limbs. He stroked his hand over the back and sides of the man sprawled limp and panting beneath him. The man that loved him. The man that had never wanted to get married, but wanted to be married to him. 

 

He was still grinning when he finally slid out of him and Daryl rolled away, sliding over far enough to make room for Rick where the blanket was still clean. 

 

Daryl looked over at him before draping an arm lazily over his eyes. “Ya over there grinnin’ like ya won the damn lottery or somethin’,” he smirked.

 

“I did,” Rick said. He rolled to his side and laid his head on Daryl’s chest, tangling their legs together. 

 

“Pshh. How’s that?” Daryl asked.

 

“I’ve got you,” he answered simply. “You said you never wanted to get married. I feel pretty damn lucky to be the one that changed your mind.” 

 

“Nah, I’m the one’s lucky, Rick,” Daryl said quietly as he trailed his fingers back and forth across Rick’s back.

 

They laid there together for a while trying to cool down, which would have probably been easier if they weren’t tangled up in each other but they were perfectly happy where they were. They watched through the window as the sun began its descent over the treetops, Rick thinking they should decide what to do about supper soon.

 

As if on cue, Daryl’s stomach rumbled loudly and Rick laughed. “Every time.”

 

Daryl shrugged one shoulder. “Told ya, work up an appetite,” he grinned. 

 

“Ya know, this means I can really call you my husband now,” Rick said and kissed his chest lightly before he sat up on the edge of the bed. “Kinda wish now I’d gotten down on one knee,” he grinned.

 

“Are ya nuts? Even I know ya don’t propose to somebody you’re a’ready married to,” Daryl said. “‘Sides, liked ya better on both knees,” he said smugly.

 

Rick stood and turned to look down at him. “Ha ha. Now come on. What kind of husband would I be if I didn’t feed my husband?

 

Daryl rolled his eyes and hauled himself up on the side of the bed. “You’re an idiot,” he smiled.

 

“Don’t know why you keep expectin’ that to change,” Rick said with a lazy grin and turned to leave the room. 

 

Daryl stood to follow him and swatted him on the ass. “I don’t. One a the things I love most ‘bout ya.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The following weekend Carl had been more excited than they’d expected, if a little smug, to hear the news.

 

“I knew it a long time ago,” he’d smirked. “It’s about time you two figured it out.” Daryl knew for sure that apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree but if he was going to have a kid, he didn’t think he could ask for a better one than Carl. 

 

On Saturday they’d gone to Maggie and Glenn’s for pizza. Beth and Merle and Carol were there as well. When they’d shared the news with the rest of them they’d been met with eye rolls and relieved sighs and a chorus of “Thank God!” and “S’bout damn time!” and “Finally!” 

 

“The hell y’all talkin’ ‘bout?” Daryl asked.

 

“Thought y’all’s never gonna git yer heads outta yer asses,” Merle grinned.

 

“Me and Maggie were about ready to stage an intervention,” Beth giggled.

 

“So you’re sayin’ you all knew it,” Rick clarified.

 

“Are ya fuckin’ kiddin’ me?” Merle rolled his eyes. “All a them heart eyes y’all’s makin’ at each other, one of ya lookin’ like somebody’d kicked yer dog when the other one weren’t ‘round. Friendly, ya ain’t nothin’ but a big ol’ sap ‘round little brother here. Shit, anybody with eyes could see it.”

 

Carol patted Daryl’s hand. “Don’t listen to him,” and she cut her eyes at Merle. “I think it’s sweet. I’m real happy for both of you,” she smiled.

 

“Hey, Glenn, you owe me twenty bucks,” Carl smirked.

 

“Are you serious?” Rick shot his son a look. Truth was, it didn’t bother him a bit. 

 

He and Daryl were right where they were meant to be, and they’d gotten there exactly the way they were supposed to. 

 

Rick happened to think it was perfect.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	9. Providence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It took them long enough didn't it?
> 
> Now, let's humor Annette and get these boys to the altar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I say it every time, and I'm going to say it again. Thank you so much for the reads, kudos and sweet reviews. It all makes me glad I wrote this! :)

Rick stopped Daryl just outside the guest room while the others made their way to the foyer. He turned and waited but Rick didn’t say anything, he just stood there looking at him. 

 

“What?” he finally asked.

 

Rick shook his head. “Nothin’...just...you look really good dressed up like this. You’re gorgeous.”

 

Daryl ducked his head and looked away. “Stop,” he mumbled. 

 

He knew that Daryl still had a hard time with compliments, that they embarrassed him. For that reason he didn’t say things like that nearly as much as he wanted to but sometimes, like now, it had to be said.

 

“You are. I’m going to have to find a reason to get you to wear stuff like this more often,” he smiled.

 

“Pssh, don’t count on it. Pretty sure a damn woman invented neckties jus’ to torture men.” He reached up to tug at his but Rick caught his hand to stop him, lacing their fingers loosely between them.

 

“Then I guess I’ll just have to find a reason to get you out of them later,” and he shot him a look that made Daryl want to skip all this other bullshit and get straight to that part.

 

“We hadn’t agreed to do all this we’d be at home right now an’ ya’d a’ready have me out of ‘em,” he said.

 

“Yeah, but we’re doin’ it for Annette. And because I want you to have this. You deserve for it to be like this,” Rick said seriously.

 

“Ya deserve it too, ya know.” Daryl agreed. 

 

Rick had just leaned in to give his husband a very chaste, innocent kiss when Merle rounded the corner.

 

“Dammit I knew it. Woman was right, y’all can’t be trusted for two seconds.” He put a hand on Daryl’s shoulder and one on Rick’s and separated them, guiding them towards the foyer. “Now c’mon ‘fore ya git us all in trouble.”

 

The girls had gone outside to join the others but Annette was waiting for them by the front door. She looked at them, eyes glistening with tears, and said, “You boys don’t know how much it means that y’all were willin’ to do this for me. I love ya both as much as if ya were my very own, and I just know you’ll always be as happy as ya are right now.”

 

They both leaned in to kiss a cheek.

 

“Ya oughta know by now we’d do anythin’ for ya,” Daryl said.

 

“We love you, too,” Rick said.

 

Never one for heavy emotions or anything close to it, Merle spoke up. “Now, Darlina, ya sure ya don’t need a pretty flower?” 

 

“Shut up, Merle,” Daryl mumbled. 

 

Annette’s confusion was quickly replaced with mock irritation and she pinched Merle on his upper arm, much like she had when Maggie and Beth were growing up and they would tease each other. “I told ya to leave them alone. Just for one day. Now ya get out there to where you’re supposed to be and behave,” she scolded him with a small grin.

 

Rick and Daryl were trying to keep it together when Merle winced and rubbed at his bicep. “Da….oww.” He ducked his head and mumbled, “Yes ma’am,” as he went out the front door.

 

Daryl had never seen anything like it. Annette and Carol were the only two women in the world that had ever been able to make Merle Dixon drop his head and say ‘yes ma’am’. He loved it. 

 

It wasn’t the first time Merle had teased them about all this, and they were sure it wouldn’t be the last even if it was behind them after today. He’d gone on and on about one of them having to be the bride and needing someone to give one of them away - although he’d flat refused to walk down any aisle with his brother hooked to his arm. Flowers and music and a big ol’ wedding cake. Merle couldn’t have cared less about any of that stuff but it gave him a reason to give them hell and he was happy to be the one to do it.

 

Being as this wasn’t an actual wedding, however, all of that tradition didn’t apply. And as Glenn had so kindly pointed out, even if it was a real wedding their history didn’t give any of them any reason to think it would have been traditional anyway. 

 

No one would be giving anyone away, but when Maggie suggested that both Rick and Daryl escort Annette to her seat they hadn’t been able to say no. 

 

There was no need for best men, this wasn’t official and there was nothing to be witnessed. Merle had surprised them both, though, when he’d told Daryl that this would be the only time he’d get to stand up for his little brother and he’d insisted on doing it. Well, why not then? Carl had seemed excited to stand up for his dad so that was settled.

 

There was also no need to have a minister or anyone else ordained to perform the ceremony, so Rick had talked to Morgan. Not only was he an old friend, but his position as Sheriff was still pretty official and he’d been happy to do it. 

 

Rick moved to open the front door but stopped when they heard footsteps rushing from the back of the house. They turned to see Carl hurrying up the hallway from the direction of the bathroom with a sheepish grin on his face.

 

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

 

Rick shook his head, fairly certain that one day his son would be late for his own wedding. He opened the door and as Carl walked past him and outside, he caught his dad’s eye and patted his pocket. 

 

With Carl finally outside with the rest of them, he turned with a smile and held out his arm for Annette. 

 

“Are we ready?”

 

 

 

No sooner had they stepped out on the porch than the opening strains of “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” filled the air. Rick and Daryl exchanged a glance behind Annette and Rick shrugged and mouthed “it’s perfect”. 

 

Daryl couldn’t completely disagree, but he knew one of the sisters was behind it and he was sure they hadn’t done it just because it was perfect. Still, he couldn’t help smiling a little. 

 

The chairs were set up on either side of a makeshift aisle that was wide enough to accommodate three people. Annette held each of their arms as they led her through the grass to the front row where Hershel stood waiting for her with a smile. He took her hand and seated her by the aisle then settled back into his own seat beside Otis. Rick and Daryl made their way to the altar where Merle and Carl were waiting and stood in front of Morgan.

 

“Friends and family, we’re here today to celebrate Rick and Daryl. Not just their first anniversary but their love for each other.” Morgan started. “Since none of us had the honor of being there the first time,” he added, grinning happily.

 

Rick and Daryl narrowed their eyes at him and still grinning he said, “I just meant that it’s a privilege to share it with ya today, is all.” 

 

Rick should have expected as much. When he’d finally told Morgan that he and Daryl were married and how it happened it had taken his friend a few minutes to recover from laughing.

 

_“Man, when I told ya to stay and enjoy the city that’s not exactly what I meant,” he’d said, wiping his eyes._

 

_“Turned out to be way better than pickin’ oranges, though,” Rick had smirked._

 

 

Morgan continued without missing a beat. “Ya hear people say all the time that love is hard. That relationships and marriage are hard. I don’t believe that. I believe it’s simple. I believe it’s simple to show respect and kindness. It’s simple to show affection and devotion, to take care of the one you love. To be good to them. Because when ya really love somebody those things are beyond your control. I think it’s a rare thing to find two people who make it look as easy as you two do. To see the love and devotion in everythin’ y’all do. And I’ve rarely seen two people who are a more perfect fit.”

 

He asked them to face each other and join hands, and when they did he continued.

 

“Rick, will ya continue to have Daryl as your husband? Do ya reaffirm your love for him, and will ya love, honor, and cherish him as long as ya both shall live?” 

 

Rick beamed at Daryl and said, “Yeah, I will.”

 

“Daryl, will ya continue to have Rick as your husband? Do ya reaffirm your love for him, and will ya love, honor, and cherish him as long as ya both shall live?”

 

Daryl’s voice was stronger than he’d thought his nerves would allow when he said, “Hell yeah.”

 

He heard somebody cluck their tongue behind him and he was pretty sure it was Annette. Oh well, he’d deal with that later.

 

“Since they’ve already taken marriage vows, Rick and Daryl have chosen to say a few words to each other,” Morgan said.

 

Rick was silent for a minute and Daryl started to worry a little. His hands were also damp with sweat and Rick’s hands never got damp with sweat. They had agreed that Rick would go first, but if he couldn’t get through it how in the world was Daryl supposed to. 

 

Rick struggled to find the right words and he made a mental note to never again tell Daryl that they should wing anything. He reminded himself to keep it simple. He didn’t want to make Daryl nervous or embarrass him. He could see worry creeping across Daryl’s face and he knew he had to say something before his husband got worked up all over again.

 

Then Daryl’s eyes locked on his and his nerves settled. In fact, they may as well have been the only two people there.

 

“Daryl I…” He cleared his throat and started again when Daryl squeezed his hand. “When we stumbled into that wedding chapel a year ago…” he froze as Daryl’s eyes went wide and his mouth set in a thin line. He knew his face must have been as red as a pickled beet when he felt the heat creep from beneath his collar and climb his neck and face all the way to the tips of his ears. 

 

He reminded himself a second too late that they were not the only two people there. They turned slowly to look at their friends and family. 

 

Maggie and Beth were red-faced and ready to lose it any second, and the look on Glenn’s face clearly said, “Seriously? Even I kept that secret.”

 

Merle and Carl were “coughing” quietly behind them and Carol was trying her best to glare at Merle without breaking out into a grin of her own while Sophia just looked confused. 

 

Abe and his girlfriend Rosita weren’t even trying to hide their amusement, grinning like idiots but thankfully muting their laughter. 

 

Annette and Patricia could pretend to be shocked all they wanted to but their eyes were clearly smiling, peeking up over those little bitty cardboard church fans. 

 

Most surprising was the smug grin on Hershel’s face as he held out his hand, and the irritated look Otis gave him when he slapped a few bills into his open palm. 

 

They turned to look at Morgan and he quickly wiped the shit eating grin from his own face and got himself under control. 

 

When they were facing each other again Rick was somehow feeling a little more sure of himself so he continued.

 

“I never imagined what we did a year ago would lead us here, but I’m standin’ here with you happier than I’ve ever been and lovin’ you more every day. It doesn’t matter how we got here, what matters is that I love you, and I plan to spend every day for the rest of my life doin’ whatever it takes to make you as happy as you make me.”

 

Daryl breathed deeply through his nose, not sure what the hell to say that would sound anywhere close to that. 

 

_“Ya love ‘im so jus’ say how ya feel.”_

 

_“I figure I’ll just say whatever I’m feeling when we’re standing there.”_

 

It sounded simple, but Daryl didn’t have the words to tell Rick how he felt. Then Rick squeezed his hand and smiled, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners the way they always did, and Daryl thought maybe he could do this.

 

“Still an idiot,” he smirked, “but you’re my idiot, an’ I’d stumble…” he stopped long enough to glare at the people sitting in front of them, daring them to so much as grin, “I’d stumble inta that weddin’ chapel a thousand times if that’s what it took to have this with ya. I’ll stand here in front a these people every year if s’what I hafta do to be with ya for the rest of my life. Didn’t think I wanted this, but nobody’s ever loved me or believed in me like ya do…”

 

Merle cleared his throat softly behind him.

 

“...’cept Merle,” Daryl rolled his eyes. “Turned out to be the best thing I ever did. I’s thinkin’ ‘bout it this mornin’ an’ I had it wrong. This’ll be the one we remember, but the first time’s the one that counted. I love ya, an’ I plan to spend every day for the rest of my life doin’ whatever it takes to make ya as happy as ya make me.”

 

Merle laid a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it once as Daryl released a small breath and closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them again Merle’s hand was gone and Rick was beaming at him. He thought just maybe he’d gotten it right.

 

Rick’s chest ached with more love than he ever thought he could feel. As usual, when it really counted Daryl had said it better than he ever could. 

 

They turned back to face Morgan, Daryl thinking they were done and glad for it. They heard someone sniffle behind them and they both assumed it was Annette, although they’d be surprised to find out later that it was Hershel. 

 

Then Morgan spoke again. “It’s my understandin’ that y’all didn’t exchange real rings the first time.” He looked at Daryl. “Rick wanted to be sure and fix that today,” he smiled.

 

Daryl looked thoroughly confused as Rick turned to Carl and held out his hand. His breath hitched in his throat when he turned back, two tungsten wedding bands held in his palm. He picked up the smaller of the two and put it in Daryl’s right hand, then took his left hand in his. 

 

As he slid the ring on Daryl’s finger he said, “Daryl, this ring is a token of my love and devotion to you, and of our re-commitment to each other.”

 

Daryl blew out a shaky breath, hoping he could get this right, and took Rick’s left hand in his. He slid the ring on his finger and repeated, “Rick, this ring is a token of my love an’ devotion to ya, an’ of our re-commitment to each other.” 

 

They were both grinning like fools when Morgan shrugged and said, “There’s nothin’ for me to pronounce, so I’d say all that’s left is for ya to kiss your husband.”

 

Their grins turned to full on smiles as Daryl grasped Rick’s waist and Rick cupped Daryl’s face in his hands and oh my Lord that kiss, you’d think they’d known each other a lifetime.

 

After a long minute Merle cleared his throat and snarked, “A’right you two, s’time ta eat.” 

 

Rick broke the kiss and reached down, Daryl taking his hand and lacing their fingers together. They turned to make their way back up the aisle and had only taken a couple of steps when the sounds of “Burning Love” filled the air. They froze and looked at each other and when Merle laughed behind them Daryl knew he couldn’t blame the girls for that one. 

 

They shrugged and at the same time said, “It’s perfect,” and continued up the aisle and toward the picnic tables.

 

The rest followed and they stood through what seemed to Daryl like enough hugs and handshakes to last a lifetime. Then came the pictures. Fuck. He’d been so preoccupied with getting through the ceremony he’d forgotten he’d agreed to pictures. 

 

Rosita had agreed to take the photos and promised she would be quick. It didn’t seem quick enough for Daryl and when they were done the ladies disappeared into the house to get the food. As soon as the last picture was taken Rick turned to him to loosen his tie and unbutton the top button on his shirt. 

 

Daryl immediately let out a sigh of relief. “Think I jus’ fell in love with ya all over again,” he said.

 

Hershel and Otis walked over, Hershel still looking pretty satisfied with himself. Otis not so much. 

 

“Look, Hershel…” Rick started to explain.

 

The old man held up a hand. “No need to explain, boys. I’m not sure I want to know anyway,” he smiled. “Besides, I don’t think I would’ve been anxious to tell that story either,” he laughed.

 

The screen door slammed and they turned to see Annette coming towards them carrying a two-tier chocolate cake. The cake was Daryl’s reward for agreeing to stand still for pictures. She’d strong-armed him into the damn tie, he was sure as shit getting something in exchange for the pictures. 

 

The last of the food was carried out and they sat down to lunch. Annette tended to go overboard sometimes when it came to feeding her family and Rick and Daryl had made her promise to keep it as simple as everything else. They didn’t want her to spend days in the kitchen on top of everything else she’d done. Getting her to agree had been like pulling teeth from an angry tiger, but in the end, she’d promised.

 

True to her word she kept it simple, well, as simple as Annette Greene could keep it. There was cold fried chicken and baked ham, potato salad, pasta salad, fruit salad, deviled eggs, rolls, and two kinds of cobbler with ice cream for anyone that didn’t want cake. And plenty of cold, sweet tea. 

 

Rick was grinning like a kid when he piled three pieces of chicken on his plate. That had been his reward for smiling sweetly, hugging her neck and asking nicely.

 

There was a little bit of a debate when it came time for cake. The girls insisted that Rick and Daryl had to cut the cake. After all, they didn’t get to the first time. All the innocent, batting eyelashes in the world hadn’t been enough to make Daryl give in on that one, although he had agreed they could feed each other a bite. 

 

He may have just wanted to stick his fingers in Rick’s mouth but the girls didn’t need to know that.

 

He’d stuffed the biggest piece he could into his husband’s mouth without choking him, trying to look fairly innocent himself as Rick wiped the chocolate icing from his lips and beard. Then Daryl was staring, eyeing Rick with that certain smirk. 

 

“What?” Rick asked. His pulse quickened and his stomach did a little flip when Daryl reached up and swiped the pad of his thumb along his chin, just barely below his bottom lip.

 

“Ya got a little icin’…” He let his words trail off as he lifted his thumb to his own mouth and sucked the frosting off. He smirked again when Rick’s eyes went dark and he leveled him with the same look he had a year ago.

They didn’t hang around long after that. Rick was anxious to get on the road and Daryl was even more anxious to finally change his clothes. They’d been talking to Abe and when he finally wandered off Daryl happened to stick his hands in his pockets, his fingers nudging the charm he’d forgotten was there. He pulled it out and Rick looked at him in question.

“Weren’t you gonna give that to Sophia a long time ago?” he asked.

Daryl shrugged. “Was, at first. Then it jus’ didn’t seem like I should.” He looked across the yard to where Sophia and Carl were sitting on the porch steps, huddled together over Carl’s phone. “Think maybe now it’d be a’right.”

He whistled sharply to get her attention and motioned her over, Carl following close behind. Her face lit up when he showed her the necklace and she bounced on her tiptoes as he hung it around her neck. She slipped her arms around his waist to hug him tightly and said, “Thank you, Daryl. I love it,” before going to show her mother. 

“Hey, dad,” Carl spoke up. “Is mom coming to get me or is somebody gonna take me home?” he asked.

“Actually, neither,” Rick answered. 

“Well, am I going with you guys?” he asked confused.

“Hell naw ya ain’t comin’ with us guys,” Daryl answered. Carl was surprised and looked a little hurt by his answer so Daryl clarified. “Ya really wanna come along on a honeymoon?”

“Eww...no.” he said quickly.

“Mom can come get you if you want, but I worked it out for you to stay here at the farm for the week if you’d rather since it’s spring break. Mom said she’s fine with it either way.” Rick explained.

Carl had recently decided he wanted to be a veterinarian like Hershel, and while Rick knew his career goals could change ten more times before he graduated high school, for the time being, he and the Greenes made sure he got to spend as much time on the farm as he wanted. It had actually been Hershel’s idea. There was another calf due anytime and he wanted Carl to be there when it was born. 

“Awesome!” Carl beamed! He gave them both a quick, one-arm hug before he hurried away to find Hershel, Daryl watching him as he ran off. 

It only felt a little weird now when Rick asked his opinion on things like letting Carl stay at the farm. Carl still addressed him as ‘Daryl’, and he was fine with that. He had to admit though, he really liked it when he heard the boy refer to him as ‘my step dad’ or ‘my other dad’ when he was talking to other people, although he’d never made a big deal of it.

“Ya got a good kid,” he said to Rick as Carl disappeared around the corner of the house.

“Nah,” Rick said. “ _We’ve_ got a good kid.”

Daryl turned to look at him and Rick’s eyes darted up to meet his. “Ya starin’ at my ass again, Rick?” he asked.

“I’m always starin’ at your ass. I told you, it looks really good in those pants,” Rick said matter-of-factly. He stepped close to his husband and whispered in his ear. “I’d rather have my face buried in it right now, though.”

“Damn you’re dirty,” Daryl said.

“You complainin’?” Rick asked.

 

Daryl had finally changed into regular clothes, never more happy to be wearing jeans and an old Cheap Trick t-shirt and feeling like a human being again. They’d said their goodbyes and had made it as far as Rick’s truck when they heard Beth calling to them as she ran to catch up. 

She stopped in front of them and handed Daryl a small gift bag. “I know y’all said not to get ya anythin’, but I couldn’t help it,” she said.

Rick plucked the tissue paper out of the bag and Daryl reached in to pull out a jewel case that held either a blank CD or DVD. They looked at her confused and she explained.

“It’s your weddin’ video. Your _first_ weddin’,” she giggled. “I figured the way things turned out y’all might want to keep it and ya can’t trust leavin’ it on your phone. Thought I’d let y’all write whatever ya wanted to on the front.”

Rick and Daryl exchanged a look, both of them genuinely touched by the gesture. Leave it to Beth to do something that thoughtful.

“Wait a minute,” Daryl narrowed his eyes at her. “How’d ya get it from my phone in the first place?”

“Ya leave your phone layin’ around all the time, Daryl. I just texted it to myself so I’d have it,” she shrugged.

“Ya still got it?” Daryl asked.

“Yeah,” she admitted, “but don’t worry, y’all ain’t gonna go viral or nothin’.”

“Better not,” Daryl said and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Thank ya, girl.”

Rick pulled her into a one arm hug and kissed the top of her head. “Thanks, Beth.” 

“You’re welcome. Rosita made a video of this one and we’ll have it on a DVD for ya when y’all get back. Now get goin’. Be safe and have a good time. Love y’all!” she threw over her shoulder as she turned to go in the house. 

No sooner had Beth walked away than Merle walked over. Daryl was sure they were never going to get out of there. So much for getting on the road early. 

“I put y’all’s weddin’ present in the back a Friendly’s truck,” he said.

“We told y’all no gifts,” Rick reminded him.

Merle shrugged. “Ain’t nothin’ but a two-man tent. Know little brother’s got that little one-man job y’all been sharin’, but I reckon y’all’re liable to tear that one down tryna make me an uncle.” 

“Shut up, Merle,” Daryl said. Looked like his brother had moved past the wedding jokes at least. Daryl looked at Rick. “So we’re goin’ campin’?” 

That would suit him just fine. It had been a long time since just the two of them had been camping. They always took Carl with them. 

Rick shrugged and smiled. “Part of the week, yeah.”

“Wait. A week?” Daryl asked, his voice rising slightly. “I can’t be gone a week, I got a business to run.”

“Now hold on there, Darlina. Ya don’t ‘xactly run that business by yaself,” Merle corrected him. “We jus’ hired that guy Oscar, leaves me free ta run the front. Prob’ly won’t even miss ya.”

“Still, that’s gonna put ya workin’ a whole week without a day off.” Daryl reasoned.

“Gonna take a few days the week after,” Merle said. “Thinkin’ ‘bout maybe takin’ Carol an’ Soph ta the beach. He turned to look at Rick. “Ya believe this guy? Got a chance ta take off with his honey for a while an’ he wants ta argue.”

Before Rick could answer Daryl took his hand and pulled him towards the truck. “Ya ready to get outta here?”

“Been ready,” Rick answered.

Rick pulled away from the house and down the long dirt driveway, side eyeing Daryl with a soft smile as he drove. 

“What?” Daryl finally asked.

“Nothin’,” Rick said, still smiling.

“Ain’t even gonna ask no more,” Daryl said. “‘Sides, don’t matter anyway. Long as it’s jus’ the two of us I don’t much care where we go.” 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	10. Lucky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I heard there was a honeymoon.
> 
> Is it rude for us to tag along?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank y'all so much for the reads, kudos, and kind words. They mean the world to me! :)

Daryl hadn’t been paying much attention to where Rick was going between messing with the radio, finally giving up to rifle through their odd collection of CDs, and staring down at his ring. About an hour into their drive, though, he noticed when they crossed the state line into Alabama. He’d just assumed they were going somewhere in Georgia.

 

“We’re in Alabama, Rick.” he stated simply.

 

“I know,” Rick answered matter-of-factly.

 

“Ya gonna tell me where we’re goin’ now?” Dary asked.

 

Rick tried not to smile. “I thought you said you weren’t gonna ask anymore. You said it didn’t matter.”

 

“Wasn’t, and it don’t, but that’s ‘fore we left Georgia,” he said.

 

“Do you like the rings?” Rick asked, smoothly changing the subject. “The color and style, I mean. You said you don’t like anything shiny.” He’d noticed Daryl staring down at it off and on and was happy to see that he was okay with wearing it, but he was anxious to know what he thought of them.

 

 

He hadn’t really given much thought to rings before. Daryl couldn’t wear one when he was working at the garage and he’d told Rick, “I ain’t one for all that shiny stuff anyway.” So he hadn’t made a big deal of it.

 

Until the day a couple of months ago when he’d been putting clean laundry away in their bedroom and he’d noticed Daryl’s lockbox sitting out on the dresser with the lid open. He wasn’t being nosy and he didn’t touch a thing. He felt bad for even looking although he was sure Daryl didn’t have anything to hide.

 

He’d simply leaned over to peek inside, his curiosity getting the best of him. There were papers folded neatly at the bottom of the box, what he assumed were probably the title to his bike, papers for the garage and the like. There was a spent shotgun shell and a fletching that both looked pretty old and he had no idea what meaning they held. There were two bank books that he’d seen before.

 

And tucked into the corner were the two gold plastic bands they’d been wearing when they woke up together almost a year ago. He’d stood and stared at them for a minute, honestly not having thought about them since they’d tossed them in the glove box of his truck in an effort to hide what they’d done. Daryl was never one to gush emotions or spew sentiment, but they obviously meant something to him if he’d kept them all this time.

 

Peeking out from under the papers and curled up beside the rings was what looked an awful lot like the black cord he’d been wearing around his neck that morning, too. The one that held the amulet that he’d intended to give to Sophia but obviously never had. Rick had thought of Ms. Octavia again and had decided then that even if Daryl couldn’t wear his much, he wanted very much to wear Daryl’s ring on his finger.

 

He’d made sure they weren’t shiny.

 

 

“Yeah. I like ‘em a lot.” Daryl said, studying his again. Rick had kept it simple, opting for plain bands of brushed gunmetal the color of pewter. Daryl thought they were perfect.

 

“How’d ya know what size to get anyway?” he asked curiously.

 

Rick looked away for a second and smiled sheepishly. “I had to measure your finger with a piece of string while you were sleepin’.” 

 

“How the hell’d ya manage that without wakin’ me up?” Daryl asked. He’d been a light sleeper his whole life.

 

“I had to wait until you were sleepin’ on your stomach. You sleep harder that way,” Rick explained. “Still took me almost an hour. You kept movin’ and twitchin’ and I thought you were gonna wake up.”

 

Daryl huffed out a short laugh. “Gonna hafta remember to sleep on by back. What else ya done to me while I’s sleepin’?” he smirked, his implication clear. 

 

Rick looked over at him with a cheeky grin. “Did you happen to look at the inside of it?” he asked.

 

Daryl pulled off his ring and held it to the window so the light would hit it just right. Around the inside of the band was engraved _Daryl & Rick_, and their wedding date. Rick slipped his own ring off and handed it to Daryl. The inside of Rick’s band read _Rick & Daryl_, and their wedding date. Daryl smiled as he passed Rick’s ring back to him.

 

“Like ‘em even better now,” he said, looking at his again before sliding it back on, wiggling his fingers as if to get used to the weight of it there. “That’s a year ago today,” he mused out loud.

 

“Yeah, it is,” Rick smiled and reached over to lace his fingers with Daryl’s. “Happy anniversary, babe.”

 

“Happy annivers’ry,” Daryl smiled and squeezed Rick’s hand. It was still hard for him to believe he was celebrating a wedding anniversary, let alone with a man like Rick.

 

And then it hit him.

 

“We goin’ to New Orleans?” he asked.

 

Rick was quiet for a beat then nodded. “Yeah, we are,” he smiled.

 

“Seriously? Thought we decided last year it ain’t our kinda place,” Daryl said.

 

“I didn’t think it was,” Rick said. “But see, I met this hot guy there last year. Trouble is, we don’t remember much about what went on, so I thought we’d make some new memories. Besides, we won’t be in the city all week, I’ve got some other stuff planned, too.” 

 

“Like what?” Daryl asked warily, not as sure as he was a few minutes before. 

 

“Well, I thought we’d catch a blues or rock show. A real show, not at a bar,” he added. “And there’s that big aquarium close to the river. We could go to the riverboat casino too, if you want. Try our luck. After a couple of days in the city, I thought we’d head a little further west. There’s a state park with a huge campground close to the bayou.”

 

“Hell yeah,” Daryl said.

 

“Oh that’s not all,” Rick continued. “They have bayou tours, you know, on those airboats. Except I didn’t think we’d want to ride around with a bunch of strangers. I talked to Abe and his brother knows a guy that owns one so they put me in touch. I’ve arranged a private tour, just us.”

 

“Ya kiddin’ me?” Daryl asked, getting excited. 

 

“Supposedly this guy’s some kinda gator whisperer or somethin’,” Rick said, looking away long enough to check his mirror and change lanes. “Accordin’ to Abe, he whistles at the gators, calls them like pets, and they swim right up to the boat.”

 

“ _Hell_ yeah!” Daryl said.

 

“And that guy knows a guy that’s gonna take us out fishin’ for crawdads the next day. The real deal, not diggin’ for them in a creek,” Rick finished. 

 

Daryl smiled, suddenly looking even more forward to their trip and not sure why he was worried about anything Rick would have planned in the first place. A year later and Rick was still surprising him. 

 

“Damn ya thought of everythin’ didn’t ya?” he asked. 

 

Rick shrugged. “I really did want to take you back to the city, but I know you’d rather be outside, preferably in the woods. I figured we could do both. That’s why we needed a whole week.” He glanced over at Daryl. “Unless there’s somethin’ else you want to do while we’re there. You just have to tell me.” 

 

“Nah, it’s perfect.” Daryl grinned. “I’d kiss ya if ya weren’t drivin’ right now.”

 

“Wanna give me head while I’m drivin’?” Rick asked with a crooked grin.

 

“Wanna get there in one piece?” Daryl asked.

 

“Fair enough,” Rick laughed. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It was seven-thirty by the time Rick pulled into the small lot behind the hotel on St. Anne. Six-thirty actually, with the time difference. 

 

“Mighta known ya’d pick the same hotel,” Daryl said.

 

“Of course,” Rick smiled. “Same room, too.”

 

“‘Course,” Daryl grinned. 

 

They left the camping gear locked in the back seat of the truck and took only their suitcases when they checked in. They stood looking around the room, both remembering the last time they’d been here. Well, remembering the morning after when they’d been awake and mostly sober. 

 

Rick thought about how despite the stupid thing they’d done, he’d had a deep-down feeling that he couldn’t let Daryl get away. As always his gut instinct hadn’t let him down.

 

Daryl remembered how disappointed he’d felt when Rick said they could make the marriage disappear and how he hadn’t understood why he’d felt that way. _“If we don’t remember it, can we swear it really happened?”_ He understood it now, and he was glad they’d never sworn to any such thing.

 

Rick walked over and kissed him softly, slipping his fingers into his hair and cupping the back of his neck. He hadn’t been able to think about much of anything since leaving home except having his way with his husband, but they needed to eat.

 

“As much as I’d love to get you naked I’m starvin’, and I know you are, too,” he mumbled between kisses.

 

“Yeah, I am. So we best get goin’ ‘fore I get naked,” Daryl warned.

 

 

They could’ve taken the truck and gone anywhere, but they were tired of riding so they chose to find a place on Bourbon Street, Daryl promising to protect Rick from prostitutes, blonde-haired pups or half naked grannies. Sometimes, like now for instance, Rick thought it might have been better if he hadn’t shared all that with him. 

 

They found a small, mostly quiet place three blocks up and around the corner, both ordering a burger and fries and neither lingering over their meal. They had other plans.

 

They walked back hand in hand, listening to the blend of music drifting through the street and dodging other tourists. When they came to a corner a couple of blocks from their hotel Daryl noticed a young boy who looked barely old enough to be out of high school and he tugged Rick’s hand to pull him to a stop. 

 

He was sitting against the building on a short stool, strumming an acoustic guitar and singing, the case laying open at his feet. The song wasn’t anything he’d ever heard or would have ever listened to and it seemed out of place with the noisy commotion of Bourbon Street. It was slow and heartfelt and Daryl couldn’t help stopping to listen for a minute.

 

He was singing about not getting things right and wrong turns and stumbles, how they’d brought him to where he was and the words tugged at Daryl’s heart. He sang about being the luckiest and he couldn’t help sliding his arm around Rick’s shoulder and kissing his temple, a rare public display for him. 

 

Neither man had any idea they were being watched as they stood listening. They didn’t see the old woman staring at them from behind the front window of the small shop across the street. They didn’t see her sparkling, emerald green eyes crinkle at the corners as she offered a sweet smile to the couple. Her frail, bony fingers fiddled with the pewter angel that rested against her chest, her lips moving rapidly as she uttered words only she could hear. With a satisfied nod, she finally turned from the window just as Daryl was dropping a few bills into the open case before he and Rick disappeared into the crowd.

 

 

Daryl unlocked the door and went to open the door to the balcony, the curtains fluttering as the night air drifted in to cool the room. He turned back to see Rick watching him and didn’t say a word, satisfied for the moment to simply enjoy the sight of him leaning against the door, his mouth relaxed into the barest hint of a smile. 

 

His stomach did that funny thing, that crazy little flop that only Rick could make it do when he pushed away from the door and walked slowly towards him. He had that look on his face, the one that could make him feel like the only other person in a crowded room while at the same time making him wonder if that’s how prey felt being stalked by a hungry predator. His heart rate kicked up a notch when Rick stopped right in front of him.

 

The room was mostly dark but the light spilling in through the open door was enough for him to see Daryl, to study his face like he had so many times. After all this time he was still taken with how perfect he was. 

 

Sharp cheekbones riding high, the strong lines of his jaw covered in soft scruff that was just coarse enough to make his body sizzle in all the right places. That perfect mouth, with lips that he’d seen both set in a hard line and sinfully gentle when they went wandering late at night.

 

He looked up to meet his eyes, the most expressive eyes he’d ever seen. Soulful and intense. He was good at schooling his features to hide his emotions, but his eyes always gave him away. The blue that he had never quite been able to describe was nearly overtaken by inky black and his breath caught in his throat at the smoldering gaze leveled back at him.

 

Daryl stood stock still under Rick’s scrutiny. His gaze was focused and intense, yet gentle and affectionate and it usually made him uncomfortable when he stared at him like that, but right now it was stirring something inside him. He didn’t know if it was want or need or lust or passion, maybe all of those, but he knew that he didn’t mind it. He felt like Rick was staring into him, at all the parts that counted, like he was taking him apart in the very best way. 

 

Of course he knew where this was going, but he’d never seen his husband look at him this way. He couldn’t be sure what Rick wanted or how he wanted to get there but he was certain that like so many times before, he was perfectly content to let him lead and he’d follow wherever he wanted to go.

 

Rick wished more than anything that he could find a way to tell Daryl how he felt. Millions of words in the English language and he could never manage to string together enough of them to tell him how perfect he was and that he needed him like he needed air to breathe. That he absolutely cherished him. He needed him to know that he finally felt complete. He wanted him to know that he made him forget what it was like to come home to an empty house and feel so lonely, that the house - their home - wasn’t lonely anymore.

 

Millions of words and none of them would ever be right anyway so instead, he lifted his hand to brush away the hair that always seemed to be in his eyes. He carded his fingers through the long, dark locks until his hand rested on the back of his head and he could pull him in close. Leaning into his neck he inhaled deeply, savoring the scent that was uniquely him. Earthy and raw, utterly enticing and completely addictive. 

 

He mouthed softly back along his jaw, relishing in the pleasant tingle as his lips skimmed over sparse whiskers. Soft heat pulsed through him when he finally brushed his lips along that perfect mouth, barely a breath between them, Daryl opening to him with a quiet gasp. 

 

Daryl finally moved, sliding an arm around his husband’s waist and pulling him close, his other hand gripping his bicep. Rick had never kissed him quite like this, tongue curling softly around his, limber and loose, caressing and searching, as if he was tasting him for the first time. It was tender and achingly sweet with a quiet urgency that almost left him weak in the knees. 

 

He was beginning to see how Rick wanted this to go. He was clearly in no hurry to get there and Daryl would happily let him take all the time he wanted. 

 

Rick’s hands slid down, gripping his shirt, pulling it up far enough to slide his hands across the smooth, warm skin of his lower back, swallowing Daryl’s soft sighs as he pressed his hips forward, just enough for Daryl to feel what he did to him, to feel his want for him. 

 

Hands skimming higher, pulling his shirt up as he went. Daryl slipped his arms out and pulled away only long enough to tug it over his head and Rick’s mouth was back, barely missing a beat. Daryl thought he might lose his mind from the slow tease of it, hardly able to concentrate on pulling Rick’s shirt up and off.

 

Pants were a little more challenging, neither willing to break the kiss. Fumbling blindly with belts and buttons and zippers, keeping each other standing once they’d dropped to their ankles. The only sounds in the room were their soft sighs and the rustle of clothes, barely separating long enough to kick them away and shed their boots and socks. 

 

Standing in their boxers Daryl pulled him back against him, rough hands sliding inside and around to cup his ass before slipping them over hips that bucked lazily when the fabric grazed over stretched and sensitive flesh. He slid his own off, swallowing Rick’s soft moans at the painfully sweet glide and press of Daryl’s own straining erection against his.

 

Daryl held him tightly, walking him backward to the bed, pushing him to sit when his legs met the mattress. Sitting against the headboard, he watched Daryl climb up to straddle his lap, settling against him. 

 

Almost immediately Daryl’s mouth was doing that delicious wandering thing it did. Skimming across his shoulder, mouthing at a collarbone, tongue licking and lapping at the hollow of his throat, sucking softly at his neck, beards catching as he nipped along his jaw before reclaiming his mouth in a deep kiss.

 

He reached down to wrap thick fingers around them both, Rick’s breath leaving him in a rush at the unexpected touch. No hurry, rolling his hips in a slow, lazy rhythm that said he had no intention of them getting there anytime soon. Rick rocking up into him, the heaviness that was settling low in his belly just enough to make him want more. 

 

Daryl’s tongue dipped into his mouth in time with the roll of his hips, sucking and nipping at his kiss swollen bottom lip and then his hand was gone. He couldn’t find it in himself to be disappointed as Daryl slid back, his scruff sending sparks sizzling across his skin in the wake of open-mouth kisses across his chest, his teeth finding a taut nipple, leaving a pleasant sting that was soothed with the flat of his tongue.

 

That beautiful mouth mapping a trail that left Rick feeling weightless. From one side to the other and down his torso, goosebumps erupting across flushed skin, the fuzz on his chin scraping lightly as he nuzzled the soft scattering of hair below his navel. Fingers ghosting over his stomach then rough palms dragging across his hips in a slow caress. 

 

Daryl was always so eager and Rick marveled at his tortuous pace, the restraint he was showing. The thought that Daryl knew him so well and knew what he wanted, that he trusted him and was so willing to follow his lead drove his hunger higher. 

 

Rick missed the warmth of his skin as Daryl moved off of his legs to spread them wide, settling on his knees between them. Open hands stroking along the insides of his thighs, drinking in the sight of his naked form as if he was seeing it for the first time. 

 

Daryl shifted to lay on his stomach, pressing kisses into the warm space between his legs at the top of his thigh, breathing in the familiar scent of his lover. Dipping lower to pull each taut little globe into his mouth, his tongue swirling and lapping as skilled fingers gripped Rick’s rigid shaft, giving it one slow, firm stroke from base to tip.

 

He let the rough pad of his thumb glide across the slit, gathering the milky beads collecting there to slick his way back down to the base, Rick giving a slow, languid roll of his hips at the smooth friction. His pulse quickened at the warm, wet press of Daryl’s tongue dragging along the vein, following it to the tip, swirling and licking, sighing softly at the taste like he always did.

 

Still taking his time he closed his mouth around the head, tracing the underside of the swollen crown once, then twice, lowering his head to take him in fully. Rick moaned low, another lazy buck of his hips, Daryl’s arm coming to rest across his pelvis making it clear that he was in charge at the moment and Rick should simply sit back and watch. 

 

Still half sitting and with a perfect view, that’s exactly what he did. Watching the slow bob of his head, his eyes locked on his cock, wet and shiny in the dim light as it disappeared between pinked-up, spit-slick lips stretching to take him.

 

Rick’s fists twisted in the blanket, short panted breaths as Daryl’s cheeks hollowed, his mouth tightening around him, that sweet ache that spread from his cock to his balls and straight to his core. Tongue brushing along his shaft, teasingly slow, his unhurried pace nearly maddening and leaving Rick dizzy with pleasure. 

 

Daryl turned his eyes up to meet Rick’s, deep blue turned to black and full of want and need, watching him as he lowered his head and took him into the back of his throat to swallow around him. The heaviness in Rick’s gut spread to his limbs, pressure building with no immediate urge to cum. It was the most erotic thing he’d ever experienced. 

 

Rick brought a hand up, fingers sweeping through soft, dark strands and closing around them. It was so tempting to lay here with Daryl’s mouth wrapped around him doing deliciously sinful things, but he needed him in a way he never had before and he needed him now. His fist tightened and Daryl let him slip slowly from his mouth.

 

He got to his knees, settling back on his heels and hooking his hands around Rick’s legs, pulling him to lay flat then moving forward, hands at either side of his head. The soft light filtering in from the street fell across half of Daryl’s face, his broad shoulders and his chest, leaving the other half in faint shadows. 

 

It gave him an otherworldly, ominous look as he loomed over him that drove Rick’s arousal higher, looking up to meet the same smoldering glare, dark eyes hungry as they roved over his face and upper body as if deciding where to taste first. 

 

Holding his gaze he leaned down to balance on his elbows, Rick whimpering shamelessly when Daryl rutted into him, the weight of his thick cock dragging across his still slippery length. Dipping his head, kissing the corners of Rick’s mouth tenderly before slipping his tongue inside to kiss him deeply.

 

Daryl slid his arm underneath him and shifted, rolling to his back and pulling Rick on top of him to settle between his open legs, still rutting up into him, a barely-there thrust of his hips that had Rick pressing the weight of his pelvis against him. 

 

Rick lowered his head, sucking and nipping softly at Daryl’s collarbone, the one with the tiny ‘x’ that marked that spot for a reason. A low groan, Daryl’s hips bucking a little harder this time, then a whispered _need ya, Rick_.

 

Rick reluctantly pulled away and got up from the bed, cool air ghosting across his heated skin in the wake of Daryl’s warmth, gone only long enough to retrieve the lube from his suitcase. 

 

It was the longest fifteen seconds of his life. 

 

He crawled back up on the bed and settled himself on his knees between Daryl’s legs, mirroring his position from earlier. Daryl watched through hooded eyes as he popped the top and squeezed slick onto his fingers, the anticipation nearly unbearable, his need for his husband intense.

 

Rick spread Daryl’s legs further and Daryl tilted his hips, baring himself and waiting, a shaky exhale of breath when he felt Rick’s finger slide against his entrance, circling the rim with a teasing pressure. 

 

This was usually one of Rick’s favorite things, sometimes teasing Daryl unnecessarily simply because he liked to watch. Now though, he could barely see his finger rubbing and teasing, and he could feel the impatient quiver and flutter, one second drawn tight, the very next opening to him in a silent plea. 

 

Truthfully, he needed Daryl as badly as Daryl needed him and while he still wasn’t willing to rush, he wasn’t willing to waste time with teasing. 

 

He pressed slowly through that first bit of resistance, Daryl tightening around him then relaxing with a soft moan as he slipped all the way in, pulling back, pressing in again. Twisting and curling his finger, searching, dragging lightly across that hidden bundle of nerves, Daryl panting and asking for another. 

 

The second one pressed in alongside the first, scissoring and stretching, working him open with a slow and steady push and pull. The pads of his fingers still flitting across those nerves, a whispered _more_ and he added a third. Not more than a minute later a quiet _c’mere_.

 

He withdrew slowly, Daryl breathing a frustrated sigh at the absence but needing more than that. One finger slipped back in, a slight jerk of his hips as a sharp throb of pleasure rippled through him and then it was gone again. His breath hitched when he heard the pop of the cap again, not enough light to see much but Rick made sure he heard. The soft groan, the wet squelch as he slicked himself up. 

 

Daryl closed his eyes, his mind’s eye supplying an image he knew by heart: Rick’s slender fingers, his hand gliding smoothly over his stiff length, the flick of his wrist, fist twisting at the head. 

 

Then Rick’s hands were on his knees, skimming up his thighs, resting on either side of his cock where it lay thick and full against his stomach. Daryl’s eyes flew open, a low rumble in his chest when Rick shifted and leaned forward, one long, wet sweep of his tongue from base to tip as he moved to stretch out over him, the warm press of skin against skin that Daryl thought was one of the best feelings in the world.

 

Rick rested on his elbows with his hands framing Daryl’s face, soft kisses high on his cheek, nuzzling his nose against Daryl’s, breath mingling with the soft brush of their lips, more soft kisses to the corner of his mouth and his jaw, Daryl spreading his legs wider when Rick reached down. 

 

He let out a quiet, panted breath when he felt the blunt head nudge and tease, his body humming with need. Rick pushed forward through just enough resistance, Daryl’s shaky exhale as he yielded to him then that sweet catch of breath as he eased inside him in one fluid motion. 

 

Rick pressed his forehead to Daryl’s, groaning softly with the exquisite ache of sinking into him. He held himself still despite the desperate urge to move, Daryl’s hands at his waist and the slight cant of his hips telling him he didn’t need it. He pulled back slowly and filled him again, consumed with the heavenly feeling of his husband wrapped around him.

 

Daryl sighed against his neck as they settled into a familiar rhythm, practiced in this dance they’d done countless times. He gripped Rick’s waist as he rocked into him, languid and unrushed, the gentle shift of his hips, the slow push and pull better than perfect. A slight drop of his hips, another low rumble and a whispered _there...right there_ as tiny pings of pleasure shot through him.

 

Rick watched him. He watched his eyes drift closed then flutter open, mouth slightly open, tongue darting out to wet lips dried by his panted breaths. His gaze drifted lower, watched the play of light and shadow across his shoulders and chest, knew that by now it would be flushed pink with arousal. 

 

He was reeling, swept away by Daryl’s tight heat, rough hands at his back, the pleasant warmth of his straining erection pressing firmly against his belly every time he met his thrusts. His thoughts were muddled and he was helpless to control the whispered words, unsure what made him say them now. 

 

“I almost left.” The weight of what might have been contrasted sharply with the euphoria he felt as he buried himself deeper. 

 

“Left... _mmm_...where?” Daryl mumbled against Rick’s lips, his own words barely a whisper.

 

“Almost... _aah_...left without you.” Rick breathed out.

 

Daryl’s hand fisted in soft curls, pulling Rick to him, licking into his mouth, trying to wrap his head around what he was trying to tell him. 

 

“What’re ya talkin’ ‘bout?” He gasped as he grasped Rick’s ass, the slow, firm press of his pelvis driving him mad, tension coiling low in his belly and tugging at his balls, struggling to focus on Rick’s words.

 

“Was gonna leave...she told me to stay.” Strong hands flexing and squeezing, pulling him deeper.

 

Daryl panted into his neck, licking and sucking the sweaty flesh. “Who?” As much a moan as it was a question.

 

“The old woman... _mmm_...a blue-eyed beauty with long dark locks will set you on the right path.” Rick breathed the words on a long sigh, knew he wasn’t making sense, brain misfiring with every deep thrust. “Told me I’d find what I was missin’.”

 

Daryl could barely think, Rick’s thrusts still slow but firmer now, no idea what he was talking about or why he needed to tell him this now. 

 

“ _aah_...missin’?” His hands settled back on Rick’s hips, their steady push and pull and Rick’s roaming mouth driving him to distraction.

 

“You, sweetheart...” the tip of his tongue trailing through the patch of hair at his bottom lip, “you’re what I was missin’...” soft kisses pressed to his lips, “...my blue-eyed beauty.” Mouthing along his jaw, face pressed into his neck and another mumbled whisper, “love is the greatest of all attributes…”

 

He was lost in the feel and the taste of Rick, his thoughts fuzzy and thick. Words caught and niggled at his brain but were gone again before he could make sense of them. 

 

Rick reached down and hooked his hand behind Daryl’s knee, hitching his leg up and holding it there, spreading him open to take him deeper. He needed to be closer, could never get close enough. 

 

“I love you, Daryl...love you so fuckin’ much.” Slow, firm grind of his hips, desperately trying to pour everything he felt into every thrust.

 

Daryl’s pleasure soared higher, emotions welling up in him that he never imagined he’d feel. For so much of his life, he’d only know anger and fear, resentment and worry, hateful things that hardened his heart and made him wary, made it hard for him to trust, to believe that he deserved anything good or would ever have it.

 

Until Rick. Rick softened the edges, dulled the ache until it disappeared. He’d never known tender and gentle, never had soft words whispered into his skin, no one had ever taken the time and care with him that Rick did. And Rick loved him. He still didn’t know if he deserved him, but he was his and he’d never let him go.

 

His hand flew up to grasp at Rick’s shoulder, something to ground him, he needed him to know. “Love ya, Rick.” The words barely more than a hoarse, mumbled whisper, his throat tight with a flood of emotions that threatened to choke him.

 

“Tell me,” a quiet plea, breathy and soft against his lips.

 

He suckled at Rick’s bottom lip then moved to press his mouth to his ear, swallowing thickly and trying again. “Love ya so much...bein’ with ya is everythin’...all I need…” 

 

Rick thrust into him harder, never speeding up but an urgency to his strokes now. Tension building in Daryl’s belly, pressure in his balls tight and hot, a roller coaster ride of intense feelings and pure ecstasy. Not the big ones, forcing your eyes closed and stealing your breath with all the loops and twists. More like the kiddie ones at the county fair, just enough to make your heart speed up and slow down, a gentle rise and fall, that sudden _whoosh_ when you least expect it. 

 

Still, it was too much.

 

Rick knew him well and he could feel it. A quickening of breath as he clutched at his hips in a tight grip, muscles rippling and thighs quivering with the effort of holding back. Consumed with both pleasure and emotion, tension burned low in his own belly, coiled tight and ready to snap. 

 

He covered Daryl’s mouth with his, an urgency to the kiss and _please, Daryl...please_ murmured against his lips. 

 

Daryl couldn’t stop it anymore, for a split second feeling suspended in mid-air then coasting over that last gentle rise as his pleasure completely overtook him. His back arched, head pressed heavily into the pillow, crying out on a choked sob. His body went still, trapped under the weight of a perfectly mind-blowing orgasm, washing over him, gentle waves sweeping through him, soft pulse and thrum spreading warm through his veins.

 

Rick kept his pace, watching his face bathed in the low flickering light, soft kisses to his trembling lower lip as he felt the flood of his release between them. 

 

“My God you’re beautiful,” he whispered, burying his face in his neck.

 

He sucked in a ragged breath, lost in that exhilarating split second of white-hot euphoria, then spilled into him with a soft, punched-out groan.

 

Daryl’s hands fell away from Rick’s hips, his own twitching as they rode out their pleasure together, every throb and pulse of Rick’s release sending aftershocks through him, his cock still leaking between them. 

 

Rick sagged against him, lowering his leg and supporting his weight on trembling arms. He nuzzled into Daryl’s neck, both men slightly dazed and out of breath, bodies loose and tingling.

 

Daryl lay still and quiet, still wrapped up in Rick and surrounded by the exotic musk of sweat mingled with the heady scent of sex. Catching his breath, focusing on Rick’s heartbeat hammering against the inside of his chest and straight into his own. That strong, steady tempo more than just the exertion of their love making, every labored beat of its post-coital rhythm a reassurance, a solid truth, a promise. 

 

He pulled Rick into a lingering kiss, still content with lazy and unrushed. Rough hands traced a path from his shoulders, across the damp, cooling skin of his back to his hips and his ass, back up again to start all over. He pulled more of Rick’s weight against him, Rick sighing into his touch. Laying his face on his shoulder, his fingers skimmed lightly over Daryl’s chest, back and forth, invisible patterns traced into his skin. 

 

Rick moved to pull out of him, intending to roll to his side and curl into him but a strong arm circled his waist to hold him still.

 

“Not yet.” Daryl murmured, so Rick settled back against him. 

 

Some time later he stirred, neither one asleep but getting there. The movement caused him to finally slip out, Daryl grunting softly at the sudden emptiness. Left with no choice but to move, Daryl’s cum cool and sticky between them, he pushed to his knees and climbed off the bed on shaky legs, disappearing into the bathroom.

 

Daryl lay there loose-limbed and sated, still riding an emotional high, as he heard the water in the sink turn on. The things Rick had said flitted around in his head, single words and short phrases, jumbled and hard to pin down into a solid thought, still drifting in a haze. 

 

“Catch,” Rick said softly from the bathroom doorway. 

 

Daryl turned in time to snatch the washcloth out of the air, warm on his cooling skin as he wiped his mess away. He settled back into the pillow, then immediately sat up on the side of the bed as something Rick said finally took form and caught his attention. 

 

Searching in the near dark he found his boxers and pulled them on, next finding his jeans. He didn’t put them on but dug his wallet out of the back pocket. He pulled his cigarettes and lighter from the front pocket and taking one he slipped quietly out onto the balcony. With the unlit cigarette dangling from his lips, he used the pale light from the streetlamp to dig through his wallet, rifling through the mess of business cards he’d collected since opening the garage.

 

Tucked between the last two he found it. Worn and wrinkled and somewhat faded it was much smaller than the rest, a plain white card torn at the top where a hole had been punched. It was attached to the amulet the day he bought it and he’d torn it from the cord and stuck it in his wallet. At the time he had no idea why he’d kept it, but holding it up to the light now maybe he did.

 

At the top of the card in plain black lettering, it said simply _“Angel of Love”_. Beneath that in the same black lettering, it read, _“Love is the greatest of all attributes. Every breath and step taken with love opens the way to life. The heart and soul radiate goodness when love is centered on both”_. 

 

The corner of his mouth pulled up in a soft grin when he put the card on the small table behind him and lit his cigarette, smoke drifting away on the breeze as he leaned against the wrought iron post and stared across the street. 

 

Rick told him he’d stayed because he’d met an old woman. Unless he was crazy, it was the same old woman who had sold him the amulet. The same old woman that had smiled sweetly at him with her hand on his arm and told him, _“Be patient. You will have much happiness.”_ At the time he’d thought it was just the crazy ramblings of a senile old lady, so he’d thanked her and went on his way.

 

He’d stayed, too. Never in his life would he have taken a vacation in the city, let alone a city where he was so far out of his element. But he’d stayed.

 

_“Almost left without you.”_

 

He didn’t want to think what would have happened if Rick had left early. He might have stayed in Louisiana and never met him at all. If he’d gone home to Georgia he probably would have met him at some point under different circumstances, but he couldn’t help thinking, couldn’t stand to think, that things wouldn’t have been the same.

 

Standing there now, truly happy for the first time in his life, he wouldn’t have wanted it to happen any other way.

 

He would ask Rick about the old woman, ask him to explain the things he’d said, but that was a story for another time.

 

Rick stepped out the door and stood behind him, arms circling his waist, Daryl’s coming to rest on top of his. He was wearing only boxers as well, and his cooled skin felt good against the ever-present warmth of Daryl’s back. 

 

“You okay?” he asked. He didn’t think there was anything wrong but he could practically hear him thinking.

 

“M’good. Better’n good,” he answered, pulling Rick’s arms tighter around him. He was quiet for a minute then he said, “Who woulda ever thought we’d end up here?”

 

Rick kissed his shoulder and pulled him closer. “Where, New Orleans?” he asked.

 

“Nah. Well, yeah...but nah. Us...here...still together,” he clarified.

 

Rick peppered light kisses along his shoulder, burrowed his face into dark, unruly strands and nudged them aside to kiss his neck softly.

 

“Not me,” he confessed. “I was sure you’d never want to see me again after that mornin’.” The tip of his nose skimmed the space behind Daryl’s ear, the corner of his mouth ticking up when a sleepy shiver rippled through his back.

 

“Couldn’t believe ya wanted to,” Daryl said quietly, the barest hint of wonder in his tone.

 

Rick pressed his cheek to the side of Daryl’s head. “Are you kiddin’ me? Luckiest day of my life was the day I walked into that bar.”

 

Daryl leaned back into him, settling his head against his shoulder. “Nah, Rick. I’m the luckiest.”

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it. What started out as an "oops" ended up as an "awww". A million thanks to all of you that read, left kudos, super sweet reviews, and were pulling for our boys. Makes me want to hurry and write something else!
> 
>  
> 
> This story is loosely based on Ben Folds’ song, “The Luckiest”. Well, it wasn’t...until it was.
> 
>  
> 
> I wrote this under a completely different working title - nine chapters were complete and all the chapters had titles. When I got to the last chapter I needed the perfect song lyrics to make Daryl stop and listen, and I came across “The Luckiest”. I’d never heard it before and not only did it fit the chapter, it fit the entire fic almost perfectly. Right down to the chapter titles. 
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you, Ms. Octavia...I know that was you. :) 
> 
>  
> 
> "The Luckiest" - https://youtu.be/f9bRmuP-kQY

**Author's Note:**

> You can see the amulet Ms. Octavia wore here:  
> https://www.themagickalcat.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=HC-AWA102  
>  
> 
> Fun Fact: One of Rick’s encounters on Bourbon Street really happened to a good friend of mine. I’ll let y’all decide which one. ;)  
> Disclaimer: I’ve never been to the Big Easy, but between Annie’s knowledge of the city and Google, I hope I did it a fair amount of justice.


End file.
